The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church

Sermon XLI.

IT is the Spouse who yet continueth her speech to her Beloved. She hath spoken once to him, desiring some tokens of his special and distinguishing love, v. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. She hath spoken a second time to him, desiring strength from him to run after him. She now putteth up a third petition, v. 7. Tell me (O thou whom my Soul loveth) where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon, for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions. To which her beloved replieth, v. 8. If thou knowest not (O thou fairest amongst Women) go thy way by the footsteps of the flocks, and feed thy Kids by the Shepherds Tents. The words easily fall into two parts:

1. The Spouses Petition to her Beloved. Tell me O thou whom my Soul loveth, &c. v. 7.

2. Her Beloveds answer, v. 8. If thou knowest not (O thou fairest amongst Women, &c.)

In the Spouses Petition is considerable. 1. Her compellation. O thou whom my Soulloveth. 2. Her Petition. Tell me where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon. 3. Her argument. For why should I be as one who turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions. In the answer is also considerable,

1. His compellation. O thou fairest amongst Women.

2. His particular direction, and information of her, in two things. If thou knowest not, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock. 2. Feed thy Kids by the Shepherds Tents.

O thou whom my Soul loveth or hath loved.] The Chaldee Paraphrast would have us believe, that this seventh verse was Moses his Petition to God, when he was about to die, for direction from him, how the People should be governed, when he should be gone, and how they should dwell amongst the Heathen, whose laws would be more grievous to the sincere part of them, then the Sun is to the Traveler at noon day, and asking, why she should live amongst the Edomites, and Moabites, who made Idols the companions of the true God, and v. 8. the same Paraphrast makes this to be the Lord's answer, telling his Prophet Moses, that if they would not live under the power of the Heathen, they must walk in his Commandments, and be obedient to the guides he had set over them. But doubtless this is a strained sense, proceeding from the overgreat fondness of that Interpreter, to apply all that is said in this Song, to the Jewish Church. There are others who according to their different notions of these betwixt whom this Dialogue is instituted, carry these words in other senses, you know the sense which I have all along followed, is that of those (and they are the most, and the best) who make it a Dialogue betwixt the believing Soul, or the Church, and the Lord Jesus Christ. It is then the believing Soul that speaks in this language of a lover, O thou whom my Soul loveth. Christ is the primary object of the believers love, a believer loveth him, and none else, in a degree to be compared with him, or with a love anything like that love, wherewith she loveth him. But if she loveth him, must she tell him so? Modesty maketh the Virgin ordinarily to conceal her passion; sinful modesty ofttimes maketh her that is a spiritual Virgin to conceal her love to Christ. She that may, while she is doubting her own sincerity, conceal her love to Christ, will not conceal it, when she lives in any view of it, and can say with Peter, Lord, thou that knowest all things, knowest that I love thee. Nor when she is to use it as an argument to obtain any favor from him. Nor when she is doubting of his love to her (how unreasonably soever.) Nor is the Virgin that is too modest to publish her love to the world, so modest as not to own it to him whom she hath resolved upon, and chosen for her Husband. Bernard hath, I think too critical a note upon these words; mark (saith he) she doth not say whom I love, but whom my Soul loveth; Spiritualem designans dilectionem, intimating a spiritual love. But yet it is well noted by the learned Mercer, that the phrase signifieth more then if she had said. Omy Beloved; it is as much as if she had said, In quem omnes meos affectus effudi (saith Beza) upon whom I have bestowed my whole heart.

Tell me where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flocks to rest at Noon.] Thus she expresseth the thing that she would have under a metaphorical expression, the sense of which we are to inquire; keeping of Sheep, and Goats, was a very ancient, and in those times a noble employment. Abel was the first Shepherd you read of, Gen. 4. 2. Rachel was a keeper of Sheep, Gen. 29. 6. So was Jacob, and David (as you know) before he came to be King over Israel, God called him from the Sheepfold. Christ takes unto himself the notion of a Shepherd, he calleth himself the good Shepherd, John 10. 1, 2. &c. It was prophesied of him, that he should feed his flock like a Shepherd, Isaiah 45. 11. and his death was prophesied of, under the notion of smiting the Shepherd, Zech. 13. 7. Mat. 26. 11. The Apostle calls him the great Shepherd, and the chief Shepherd. In this dialect here, the Spouse speaks to him. It was not unusual for the Heathens to discourse matters of carnal, and sensual love, as transactions between Shepherds, and some whom they loved. The Holy Ghost doth the same here, he by Solomon discourseth this matter of Spiritual and Divine love, as a transaction betwixt a Shepherd, and one who dearly loved him. But what would she have? she would know where he fed, that is, where he fed his flocks, where he made them to rest at noon; the noon (as you know) is the hottest time of the day, and so by the noon I find some understanding a time of affliction. To this I find Mercer, and Beza inclining. Beza thinketh that the Church here beggeth to know how Christ would have his Church governed, and ordered in the midst of temptations, and persecutions, and beggeth for Christ's fullest, and clearest manifestations of himself to her at such a time (so saith Bernard,) Mercer thinks it is as much as if she had said. Lord I am burnt with the Sun; show me that shadow, in, and with which thou usest to refresh thy Saints in the hour of affliction. There is a promise made to the Church, Isaiah 49. 10. They shall not hanger nor thirst, neither shall the heat, or the Sun smite them, for he that hath mercy on them, shall lead them, even by the springs of waters shall he guide them. Now the Spouse here (in the opinion of these Interpreters) begs to know these shadows, where the flocks rested at noon.

I must confess I more incline to another sense. The noon was the hottest time of the day, and as in our Country, where the power of the Sun is nothing so much as in those hot Countries, Cattle seek shadows, and resting places, where they are a little free from the heat of the weather; so they were wont to drive their flocks of Sheep into such shadowy places, where both the Shepherd, and the Sheep were more quiet and at rest, which time was the most free time of the day for the Shepherd, when any might more freely discourse him, according to that of the Poet, Fauste precor gelidâ quando pecus omne sub umbrâ ruminet, antiquos paulum recitemus amores. So that the Spouse desireth to know where he fed, where he made his flocks to rest at noon, That is, where she might have the most free, and uninterrupted communion with him.

For why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions.] She here implieth, that without her Lord's direction, she was like enough to turn aside: She beggeth she might not so turn aside. The word in the Hebrew is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 we translate it, as one turning aside, or that turneth aside, and so Pagnine interpreteth it. Arias Montanus translates it, sicut operiens se, as one that covereth herself, and indeed so the Hebrew word most commonly signifieth. Now this covering themselves, was either in token of shame, or of sorrow, or modesty. Mourners were wont to cover their faces, Ezech. 24. 17. Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thy head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips. It was also a token of shame. Harlots were wont to cover themselves, Gen. 38. 14. It was also done as a token, or signification of modesty, so you read of Rebekah, Gen. 24. 65. when she heard of Isaac, his coming towards her, she hasted, and took a veil, and covered herself; this custom of Virgins covering themselves, was of long use in the Church of God, so that Tertullian, who lived 2 or 300 years after Christ, hath a particular Book to persuade the upholding of that custom, which it should seem then began to be disused. Our Translators interpret the word, turn aside. The cause of the difference lies in the doubtfulness, whether the Hebrew root be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the first signifieth to turn aside; the second to cover. Hence also ariseth the difference of Interpreters about the next term.

By the flocks of thy Companions.] Those who interpret the former word turn aside, understand by Companions, Idolaters, and Superstitious persons; who indeed make themselves the companions of Christ, or rather make their Idols his companions; some interpret it of Heretics. Idolaters make their Idols Christ's Companions, by giving that Homage to them, which is due to him alone. Thus the Papists do to their Images, and Crucifixes, to Saints, and Angels. Heretics make their leaders Christ's Companions, making them the guides of their faith and practice, which is an Homage due unto Christ alone. Indeed Christ hath properly no Companion, consider him as to his Divine Nature. He is, and there is none besides him, nor hath he any Companion as our Mediator, and Interc • ssor. He trode the Winepress alone, neither was any of the People with him, he had no Companion either in his Kingly, Prophetical, or Priestly Office. But he hath some who call themselves his Companions, and arrogate to themselves that title, nay, which others sinfully make his Companions. Beza thinks these are here meant.

2. But secondly, Christ hath some, who though they are not strictly his Companions, yet he graciously so calleth them, being (as the Apostle saith) not ashamed to call them Brethren, of these I should choose to understand the text, (and though I am very tender of differing from the received translation of a Church in any matter of moment) should be more inclined, as I said before, to translate the former term, one covered. So the sense is, For why should I be amongst thy People as a Mourner, or as one that is an Harlot, with whom thou wilt have no communion. or fellowship? Why should I walk as one covered, either as a Mourner, or as a Strumpet, amongst thy People, whom thou hast so far owned, as to declare thyself not ashamed to call them Brethren, or Companions? This I take to be the sense of the Petition;

O thou whom my Soul loveth above all other objects whatsoever, who art my Shepherd, let me know where, and how I may enjoy communion with thee, how I may have fellowship with thee in a time of trouble and affliction, and when I may have the nearest, fullest, and most uninterrupted communion with thee, for why should I, for want of thy presence, be under a constant temptation to turn aside from a true fellowship and communion with thee to the Synagogues, and Assemblies of Idolaters. Or why should I walk amongst thy People, either as a Mourner, or as an Harlot, whom thou hast cast off, or divorced.

To this now, her Beloved answereth [O thou fairest amongst Women] it is an Hebraeisme, a way they have to express the superlative degree, so Luk. 1. 28. 42, Thou art blessed amongst Women, that is, very much, very highly blessed. So the Lyon is said to be strong among Beasts, Prov, 30. 30. that is, the strongest Beast. It is no more then in our dialect. O thou that art fairest, to whose Beauty in my Eyes no others Beauty is to be compared.

If thou knowest not] the Hebrew is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Septuagint translate it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 if thou dost not know thyself, the vulgar Latin, Ethiopic, Syriac, and Arabic Translators, and indeed most ancient Interpreters that I meet with follow the Septuagint, and translate it, If thou knowest not thyself. Hence Bernard (upon the place) runs into a large discourse concerning Christians ignorance of themselves, and the profitableness of our knowledge of ourselves, according to the ancient Precept of the wise man amongst the Heathen, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . But undoubtedly though this be a great truth, yet it is nothing to the sense of this text, where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is a Pleonasme, as both Tremellius, Mercer, and Mariana, (three Interpreters very learned, and critical in the Hebrew Dialect, do all agree) so as we translate it truly, according to our Idiom, If thou knowest, though in the Hebrew it be, If thou knowest to, or for thyself. It followeth,

Go thy way by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy flocks by the Shepherds Tents.] These words now contain her beloveds direction, if she were at a loss, what to do in a time of straits, or how to enjoy the most full and free communion with him, she must go her way by the footsteps of the flock. Interpreters vary in the sense of these words, according to their different notion of the former. If thou knowest not. Those that will not allow 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to be Paragogical, or Pleonastical, but will interpret them, If thou knowest not thyself, and so make the whole to be a rebuke, or chiding of the Spouse, for her ignorance, or pride, will have the flocks here to be the flocks of Idolaters, and Heretics, and by the Kids here understand her own vain imaginations, and make this speech to be the language of an angry God, giving up a People in wrath (according to that of the Apostle) to strong delusions to believe a lie, for their willful ignorance and non-improvement of the means of grace. This is the sense put upon the words by Jerome, Gregory, Bernard, Aquinas, Lyra, and others. And there is a truth in this, when a people continue in the bosom of a Church, under the means of grace, ignorant, proud, and unprofitable, God often in wrath giveth them over to Seducers, and leaves them to the vanities, and delusions of their own hearts (a Judgment of all others most formidable.) But certainly this is not the sense of the words. Delrio (though a Papist) differs from them, and gives us a good reason, telling us, if that had been our Lord's meaning, he would never in the same breath have called her the fairest among Women. Therefore Tremellius, both the English, and Dutch Annotators, Deodate, Piscator, Mariana, and others, understand here by the footsteps of the flock, and by the Shepherds Tents, the Precepts, and Examples of Moses and Aaron, the Prophets, and the Apostles, and the purer Church of God, and by the Kids mentioned, they understand particular Souls. So that the sense of the words is this.

Thou believing Soul, who in my Eyes art more beautiful, and lovely, then any other Soul in the world, if thou beest in anything ignorant of my will, and where to meet me, and how to enjoy fellowship and communion with me, do not stray from the rule of my word, nor vary from the examples of those whom I gave for Shepherds to my People, keep close to them, to their Doctrine, and to my Ordinances administered by them. There thou shalt find me. There I rest at noon. These two verses thus opened, afford us several Propositions of Doctrine, as matter of further discourse.

Prop. 1. Christ is he, and only he whom the believing Soul loveth.

Prop. 2. Though there may be a time when such a Soul may conceal, and disown its love to Christ, yet there will be a time when it will break forth, and she will acknowledge it.

Prop. 3. A gracious Soul, desireth nothing more then a quiet, full, and sweet communion with Christ.

Prop. 4. Christ hath shades where he resteth, and feedeth his flock, under the greatest, and most scorching Afflictions.

Prop. 5. Though a pious Soul never slighteth a communion with Christ, yet she never prizeth it at an higher rate, then in an hour of greatest trials, and temptations.

Prop. 6. God's People will, (especially in times of trial, and great temptation) be prone to fall into sin, and error, to the scandal of their profession.

Prop. 7. Sin and Scandal, are the two great things which a gracious Soulfears.

Prop. 8. The Believing Soul, is of all other Souls the most beautiful in Christ's Eyes.

Prop. 9. The Beauty of this Soul is not perfect, it may in some things be ignorant.

Prop. 10. The surest way for a Soul to get a perfect instruction in the things that concern its spiritual good, and to keep, and to enjoy communion with Christ, is to feed its self by the Tents of Christ's Shepherds, and to live according to the examples and directions of his holy Servants, recorded in Holy Writ.

I begin with the first, of which I shall speak but briefly.

Prop. 1. Jesus Christ is he whom the Soul loveth with a singular love.

I put in the term singular, because (as I told you) the phrase imports it. Love is nothing else but the adhaesion, or cleaving of the Soul to an object, out of a goodness and suitableness which it hath discerned in it, with a complacency which the Soul taketh in it, which is such, as if the Soul wants it, it desires it; if it enjoyeth it, it is glad, and rejoiceth in it; which being first considered, it followeth; that look how many objects as there are, that have in them any goodness, or suitableness to our state, so many objects of our love there are in the world. And 2. That look how much goodness and suitableness to us we apprehend in one object more than in another, so much we love one thing more than another; or one person more than another. 2. There is also a love that floweth from Union and Relation, of which we are not able to give a perfect account; the Parent loves the Child, and the Husband loves the Wife, and the Wife the Husband, not always out of Judgment. The Husband discerning in the Wife a suitableness to him, is not always the cause of love: Nor is the Child's love to the Mother or Father always rational, flowing from an apprehension of the suitableness of the Parent to it, but rather from an impetus of nature, an unaccountable complacency in those whom God hath made correlates, caused by the God of Nature, who hath made them one flesh; who so deliberately considereth this, will easily understand a double reason of the Believers Love to Christ.

1. The first is, That Union which is betwixt the believing Soul, and the Lord Jesus Christ, which is wrought by Faith; this produceth this second Union, which is that of Love. By Faith Christ is united to the Soul, and becometh a member of his body, and that is followed by this Union of Love: The Soul in the same hour wherein it is united by Faith to Christ, being taught of God to love the Lord Jesus Christ. It's a piece of its Regeneration, which continually followeth Justification, and is indeed coaevous with it; so that as in the natural Union, the same day the man becomes a Father, or the Woman a Mother, there is a new Emanation of affection and love; the Man or Woman that before knew nothing of the heart of a Parent, now begins to feel it, and in the moral Union betwixt the Husband and Wife, the same day that they are married to each other, there floweth a reciprocal Affection each to other, so as they then begin to know the heart of an Husband and a Wife, of which they knew little or nothing before: So it is upon the Spiritual Union; as the God of Nature influenceth the Souls of persons, whom he hath given one to another in natural and moral Relations, ordinarily for a reciprocal usefulness one to another: So the God of Grace influenceth the Soul put into a spiritual Relation to Christ: That the Believer upon his Union with Christ, doth find his heart cleaving to, and taking a complacency in the Lord Jesus Christ, and begins thus to know the heart of a Believer. And look as it is in the moral Relation betwixt the Wife and the Husband, though the Man may have heard such reports of the virtues and excellencies of the Woman before he hath married her, as hath enforced from him a complacency in her, yet this bears no proportion to that delight and complacency he taketh in her when she is once married to him. So, although a Soul upon the large discourses he hath heard of Christ, and of his love to Mankind, and what he hath done, and is ready to do for the Souls of men, may have some good thoughts of him, and some kind of complacency in his thoughts of him, yet there is a vast difference betwixt this, and that complacency which the Soul taketh in Christ, when it is once by Faith united to him, and amongst other habits of grace hath that of Love to God infused into his Soul, according to that, Rom. 5. 5. The Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. I know there is a Dispute raised by some, whether the natural man's love to God, differeth from the Believer's love to God specifically, or only gradually. I do not think that these spiritual habits fall under those logical measures; I am sure it is a love flowing quite from another cause. The natural man's love is no more than a natural Plant cultivated by reason; the other's is a fruit of the Spirit; so as they differ further than gradually; but whether we should call it specifically, or no, or want a Logical term to express the difference, I shall not think it worth my time to inquire.

2. A second Reason of the Believer's love, and so great and singular love to Christ, floweth from his Experimental discerning of that admirable suitableness that is in Christ to his Soul, and the exceeding love which he hath shewn to him. 1. A Believer hath another kind of persuasion of the Love of Christ, and the excellency that is in him, than it is possible another should have. 1. A persuasion flowing from Faith; And 2. Confirmed by Experience. I say, first flowing from Faith. We know a thing by Sense, Reason or Revelation; the Excellency of Christ falleth not under the demonstration of Sense. Reason indeed working upon Principles of Revelation, I mean concluding from the Revelation of holy Writ, will show even a natural man, much goodness, much excellency in Christ. But this Knowledge is very far from that certainty which Faith begetteth in the Soul, which is a certainty against which the Soul hath nothing to oppose ordinarily. Faith is an Evidence, and the strongest Evidence to the Soul of what it doth not see by the Eye of Sense, and seeth very imperfectly by the Eye of Reason. 2. A Believer's Knowledge is confirmed by Experience; as he hath heard from the Word of God; so he hath seen in the dispensations of God to his Soul. His Soul is sprinkled with the Blood of Christ; it was lost, it is now found: It lay under the guilt of sin, and through Christ's satisfaction it is acquitted. Though every Believer hath not a full persuasion of this, yet he hath a good hope through grace, and this cannot but kindle in his Soul a vehement flame of love to Christ. Bless the Lord O my Soul (saith the Psalmist, Psal. 103. 3, 4. and all that is within me bless his holy Name. Who forgiveth all thine iniquity, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction. Nor hath he only some experience of the suitableness of Christ to his Soul, considered as a lost undone Soul; but he hath as firm a persuasion of Christ's readiness, as well as ability to supply all his wants, to hear all his prayers, to supply all its necessities, to bless it with all spiritual blessings; there is no Soul that lives in such a view as a Believing Soul, of its daily renewing sins, and so standing in need of daily repeated acts of pardon, daily renewings of spiritual strength, &c. It knows it is in the power of none to help it, but Christ alone, he alone sitteth at the right hand of God to make Intercession for the Soul; he is he alone who can be its Advocate at the Throne of Grace. It is the Spirit of Christ through which he must mortify the deeds of the body, and who must strengthen it with might, to all the operations of the spiritual life. It is so natural to the Soul to love those that love it, that our Savior saith, if you do it, what reward have you? The Soul thus apprehending Christ, its love towards him proceedeth in a natural order, and riseth higher as it knoweth that the love which he hath shown it, and doth show it, is the greatest love: For greater love than this can no man show, than that a man should die for his friend; Christ hath died for it while it was an Enemy. We (saith the Apostle) being Enemies to God, were reconciled unto him through the death of his Son. The evil from which he delivered it, was the greatest evil. The reason why the natural man loveth not Christ, is because though he hath indeed heard much of Christ, and of his love to the Sons of men, yet he believeth not, or giveth only a faint and careless Assent unto what he readeth and heareth concerning him: He hath experienced nothing concerning the evil of sin, nor feeleth any need of pardon, and so cannot possibly discern or apprehend that goodness and excellency that is in Christ, nor that suitableness to a Soul's state, that a Believer is apprehensive of. And in regard the wants of the body are no way to be compared with the wants of the Soul, and the wants of the Soul cannot be supplied from any (except only Ministerially) but from Christ alone, the Soul must necessarily love Christ with a singular love, and all other things in subordination unto him, so as they must stand in no competition for the Soul's Affection with him, much less can such a Soul love anything that offers itself in opposition to him. I might enlarge fuurther, in giving you Reasons for such a Soul's singular love to Christ; but I have touched upon this Argument before, and these are the two main Reasons of their singular love unto him. Their pourings out of their whole hearts, their entire Affections into his bosom. I shall only add a short Application of this Discourse.

Let us all by this try ourselves, whether we be the Spouse of Christ, yea or no, that is, whether we be true believers, yea, or no, and true Members of the Church of Christ; by this we shall know it: If we can look up to Heaven, and say unto Christ, O thou whom my Soul loveth. There are many who go into the number of those who make up the visible Church, who are not the Spouse of Christ, or at least shall not be of the number of those hereafter, who shall make up the Lambs Wife, mentioned, Rev. 21. 9. They are not that Spouse mentioned, Rev. 19. 7. To whom it is granted that she shall be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, or of those blessed ones, who shall be called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The contract betwixt the Soul and Christ is made in secret. In that contract (as in others) Christ consents to receive the Soul, and the Soul consenteth to receive Christ, The former of these indeed is sufficiently in the general declared in the more general call, and invitation of the Gospel, wherein Christ calleth to all to whom the Gospel is preached, to come unto him, promising that he will receive them, and that he will by no means cast them away, yet he hath not there spoken this to any particular person by name, only in general, to all those who are weary, and heavy laden, and who come unto him, and the Soul is often at a loss, in determining concerning the truth of its own acts, in coming to, and receiving of Christ tendered in the Gospel. On the other side the presumptuous man is like the foolish young man in the world, that thinks that every young woman who smileth on him, or speaketh kindly to him, will presently take him for her Husband, and concludeth good to himself from every smile of providence, but to satisfy the true Christian, and to convince others of their folly, let every Soul know, that there is no Soul can take any comfort of this nature, but that Soul only that can truly say unto Christ, O thou whom my Soul loveth, and certainly would men, and women be true to themselves, they might from hence determine their Spiritual state. But yet, as there is a common affection, which a woman may have for many men, none of which she intendeth to make her Husband, and she may do many common acts of kindness for them, so there is a common love, which a man may have for Christ, and many common actions which they may do in his service; the question therefore is, how a man or woman may know, whether he or she may with confidence look up to Heaven, and say, O thou whom my Soul loveth! Let me add a word or two upon this argument here, though I have before spoken much to it.

1. I desire you to observe in the first place, that the Spouse speaketh here in the singular number, O thou whom my Soul loveth, so must every Soul do that loveth Christ in truth; a divided Soul is always faulry. That Soul which hath anything in Heaven or Earth to be compared with Christ, doth not love him. It is true that love is a diffusive affection, and may respect several objects, but note these two things.

1. These objects must be only diverse, not contrary. Contraries naturally expel one another, there is nothing but sin and last that is contrary to Christ; you cannot (saith our Savior) love God & Mammon, he that saith to any lust, O thou whom my Soul loveth! cannot in truth say so unto Christ. How many in the world by their fondness upon their lusts, show their want of love to Christ?

2. Conjugal love admitteth neither parity, nor priority. The Wife that loveth her Husband as she ought to love him, must neither love any other before him, or better then other, nor yet in a proportion equal with him; she must love him before, and above all things. Our Savior hath determined this in saying, He that loveth Father or Mother, or Brother, or Sister more then me, is not worthy of me, and he that loveth Son or Daughter more then me, is not worthy of me.

2. Soul-love will be known also by Soul-longings. Love teacheth the Soul to long after, 1. Union with the object beloved. 2. A sense of reciprocal love. 3. Communion with the object beloved. If thy Soul loveth the Lord Jesus Christ, it will be seen in thy longings after him in the hour of his apprehended adsence, or after such degrees of his presence, as thou hast not yet attained, and after a sense of his reciprocal love; the Soul that truly loves, is impatient till it discerneth itself mutually beloved, it will also long after communion with Christ; you read David's temper as to this, Psal. 84. 1, 2, 3. Psal. 42. 1. Psal. 63. 1. Alas how few are there whose pulses beat with any strength for God?

3. Love (thirdly) is discovered by a complacency, delight, & satisfaction, in the presence of the object beloved, according to the degree of its presence. As it longeth for its object when absent; so it rejoiceth and melts in the embraces of it when present. What satisfaction hath thy Soul in an Ordinance, or Duty, in which thou hast seen the power & glory of God, the presence of Christ in his Ordinance?

4. Love again is seen by the Soul's sorrow for a departed Christ. The loving Wife weepeth when she for any time parteth with her Husband, and is solitary when he is gone. Mary 's love to Christ was discerned by her weeping, because she knew not where they had laid him. And the Jews cried out, when they saw Christ weeping over the grave of Lazarus; Behold how he loved him! The dispensations of Christ to the Soul sometimes are very dark; he seems to be gone, and as it were buried out of the Soul's sight, how beateth thy heart at such a time? art thou afflicted? or art thou not?

5. If thy Soul loveth the Lord Jesus Christ, it will be seen by thy anger a! anything, whether in, or from thyself, or others, which grieveth or offendeth him. Love (to its power) will suffer no injury to the Beloved The Wife will not herself abuse her Husband, nor (to her power) will she suffer any other; if unwarily, ignorantly, or in a passion at any time she hath done it, she is angry at herself for it; and if others do it, she is ready to seek a revenge upon them. What indignation! what revenge! (saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 7. 11.) is produced by godly sorrow, which is the effect of love.

6. If thy Soul loveth Christ, thou wilt reveal all the Secrets of thy Soul to him; he shall know all thy griefs, all thy desires and wants; thou wilt be much in prayer, much in secret prayer. Delilah charged Sampson for want of love to her, because he had concealed his secrets from her. Christ (on the contrary) justifieth his love to his Disciples, Joh. 15. 15. by his telling them all he had heard of his Father.

7. If Christ be he whom the Soul loves, the Soul will be much in the meditation of him. Whatsoever is the object of our Love, is much in our thoughts. O how I love thy Law (saith David,) Psal. 119. 97, 99. it is my meditation night and day. What room in thy thoughts hath Christ, and the things of Christ?

8. The Soul that is full of love, is like the Fountain which is full, and must overflow. If we love any persons, we are often talking of them, upon all occasions talking for them, and very often (as we can get opportunities) talking with them. What are thy discourses of Christ to others? How dost thou use thy Tongue in discoursing for Christ, when there is need? What discourses hast thou with Christ in prayer?

9. Soul-love is like the Sun, that cannot shine upon the Glass of the house, but its refracted Beams will pierce thorough, and show themselves upon the walls, the floor, the pavements. A love to Christ will look thorough him, and show itself upon everything that hath relation to him, his People, his Ministers, his Word and Ordinances, Psal. 16. 2, 3. O my Soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord, my goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the Earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

10. And lastly; If you love Christ with your Souls, you will keep his Commandments; yea if it be to sacrifice an Isaac, to pluck out a right Eye, or cut off a right Hand: This is our Savior's mark, Joh. 14. 15. Obedience is the first and most genuine fruit of Love; and if it be such as shall speak a true Love in the Soul to Christ, it must be 1. Internal, as well as external. 2. Universal, not partial. 3. Constant, and not only for a fit.

But of these things I have spoken before, and therefore shall not enlarge, &c.

Sermon XLII.

I have done with the first Proposition I observed from these Words from the compellation (O thou whom my Soul loveth) viz. That Christ is he, and the only he whom the believing Soul loveth; there was a 2d which I also observed from that; viz. That as there is a time when such a Soul will conceal its Love to Christ, and will not be brought to own its Love to him: So there is a time when it will own and acknowledge it. This now would lead me to a discourse of those times, when a believer is free to own, and acknowledge its grace, particularly, its love to Christ; And those times when it findeth a difficulty and will not be brought to do it. But I remember, I handled that point, when I discoursed the forgoing words I am black but comely. I shall therefore here pass it over, and come to the matter of the petition or thing wherein she desireth to be instructed. viz. Where he fed [his flock;] Where he made his flocks to rest at Noon. In the explication of the terms of the Text. I considered the Noon time,

1. As the time when Shepherds having driven their flocks into some shady places to lie down, and rest, were themselves most at leisure and one might have the most private, free, and full communion with them with the least interruptions, At other times of the day, till night again comes, the Shepherd must have a constant Eye upon his flock. According to which sense, the phrase is expressive of believing Souls desires of all occasions, and opportunities, when it may have the most private, free, and full communion with Christ, with the least interruptions.

2. Secondly, As the time, when the Sun shines out hottest; So it may be understood of the Churches Noon, or the Believers Noon. When they were most scorched with Trials, and Persecutions, So there are 3 Propositions which I before observed. The first of which I shall begin with.

Prop. That a believing Soul is very covetous of such occasions and opportunities, when it may enjoy the most private, free, and full communion with Christ, with the least interruptions.

Whiles the Shepherd is driving his flock to their pastures he is in motion, one may exchange some few words with him, but he cannot have much serious discourse with him, when he cometh to his feeding place, still his Eye must be after his flock, which in their feeding may be prone to straggle, but at Noon, when his flocks are in the shadow, that is the fairest opportunity of converse with the Shepherd. It is true it is the infirmity of our human natures, that we cannot at the same time duly attend two different things, God is not under the Law of it, God cannot be so taken up with one business of providence, as to neglect another because of it. But while Christ is set out to us under imperfect, and infirm comparisons, he is set out as one compassed about with our infirmities. And certain it is that our communion with him in this life, admitteth of many interruptions on our part, and there are times, and places wherein a good Christian may and doth enjoy a more perfect, free, and full communion with his God, then he doth, or can do, at other times and places.

The Spouse here desireth to know, the times, places, and opportunities of most free, full and perfect communion with God, and this I say is the object of every believing Souls desire.

As to times of this nature they are easily discerned, by considering what those things are which most interrupt and hinder our communion with God: those are either, 1. Worldly cares, businesses and distractions: or 2. Temptations, whether from the stirrings of lusts in our own heart (for every man saith James is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.) Or from his Grand adversary the Devil. So that times of freest communion with God, are times, when we are likely to be most free from the incumbrances of the World, or the ••• lestations of our own lusts, or Satan's Suggestions. As to the two latter, there are indeed no times as to which which we can promise ourselves an absolute immunity. As to the former there are two times. The morning or the night season. 2. The Sabbath day.

1. The morning or night season. That is a time for rest, and when the greatest part of the World are at their natural rest, hence you shall observe that the Servants of God have often made choice of these times for their more private and free communion with God. Psal. 5. 3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee, and will look up, Psal. 59. 16. I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning Psal. 63. 1. O God thou art my God, early will I seek thee, v. 6. When I remember thee on my bed, and meditate on the in the night watches. Times of least business, in the World and greatest silence, from the noises & businesses of the World, are the times for freest communion with God, not that God is not as ready to hear our Prayers, and to communicate himself at other times, but because the Souls of God's People, are not so free in themselves, for whereas the life of our communion with God lieth in the attention of our thoughts, and fervency of our Spirits. And the latter of these hath also a great dependence on the former, it is impossible for us to keep our thoughts so intent upon our duty, when the noises, and businesses of the World distract us, as when we have nothing of that nature from the World to disturb or divert us.

2. The Sabbath day is likewise such another time, and so are other times which we have voluntarily set apart for the Solemn seeking of God, but the former especially. For though the Law of the Lord for the Sanctification of the Sabbath, hath not such an influence upon the World, as were highly to be desired, yet in the places (especially) where we live, it hath some influence so that the most of men and women cease from all servile labor and there is a great silence in the World that day in comparison of other days: and that law taketh a great hold upon the hearts of all such as truly fear God, so as none of them durst engage themselves in worldly businesses as on other days: and though this be not the case as to such solemn days as Christians set apart for religious duties, yet we having laid ourselves under a private law, though the time at first was our own, and we needed not to have dedicated it to the Lord, yet having done it, we think ourselves justly to be more engaged, and concerned to lay the World out of our sight and thoughts, and and this doubtless much commendeth the practice of Christians in setting sometimes of this nature apart for the solemn service of God.

As to places under the Gospel we have no such place as the Temple at Jerusalem, none to which any such promise is made, our Rule is, Every where to Worship the Father: Every where to list up pure hands. But yet though there be no particular place, concerning which we have a command, more then another, in it to make our addresses to God, nor any to which any promise is made, nor concerning which it can be said God hath in it more Manifested himself to People seeking him, yet there are two sort of places in which we have more advantage then in others, for a communion with God: 1. Places of Solitude, 2. Places where 2 or 3 meet together or a greater number of God's People so meet to pray, or in any manner to Worship God.

1. The first give us advantage by freeing us from the noises, business and distractions of the World; hence you read of Jsaac 's going into the field, for meditation, and our Savior's going so often up to a mountain for Prayer, Mar. 6. 46. Matth. 14. 23.

2. The second gives us advantage, as from the promise of God made to the assemblies of his People, so from the influence that the Affections of pious Souls in holy duties have, one upon another, of which it is an hard thing to give an account, but it is no more then I believe any good Christian will find upon his or her experience, that their hearts are otherwise affected, when they are in a society of serious Christians praying to God, or performing any acts of Worship, then when they are alone. Hence it is that you find serious Christians, so covetous of opportunities to withdraw into their closets, or when they may join with other serious and conscientious Christians in more public Worship.

If any shall (for the further explication of this notion) ask me, from whence a more full, free, and uninterrupted communion with God is to be adjudged and determined; I answer shortly, I have before told you, That all communion speaks a mutual or reciprocal communication of two or more each to other. God communicateth himself to the Soul in his influences of grace, the Soul communicateth itself to God, in the actings and exercises of its gracious habits, so as the fullness, freedom and more near communion with God is to be judged from several things.

1. First from the attention of the Souls thoughts in the duty. A Soul hath more or less communion with God in a duty, as his thoughts more or less deviate and wander from the thing he is about. When there is a mere bodily service performed either by the lips, or knee, or Eye, the duty is but a mere formality, the Soul hath no communion with God in it, in Praying the man doth not Pray, nor in hearing hear, nor in singing sing. As to this the best of God's People must cry, God be merciful to us sinners, so that the degree of perfection attainable in this life as to this thing is but comparative, some may have more of this attention then others, or more at one time then at another, but none is perfect in this thing. Only the pious Soul as in other things, so in this thing, is striving after perfection, pressing forward towards the mark, and daily humbling himself for his imperfection, and flying to Christ's intercession and advocation, and exercising faith on his more perfect righteousness.

A second thing wherein a fuller communion with God (on the Souls part) lieth, is, fervency of Spirit, this chiefly respecteth the duties of Prayer, and Praise. The effectual Prayer must be servant, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Prayer which setteth the whole Soul on work, and while we sing, we must make melody in our hearts to the Lord, Eph. 5. 19. Prayer is oft times in Scripture expressed under the notion of crying, wrestling with God, pouring out of the heart before the Lord, Psal. 142. 2. Psal. 62. 8. David calleth this a pressing hard after God, Psal. 63. 8. some think it is a metaphor from hounds pursuing their game in view.

3. A third thing is a Freedom of Spirit. This is (as I take it) that which David calls largeness of heart, Psal. 119. v, 32. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. There is no good man but findeth his heart more free to duty, and in duty at one time then at another; there is a straitness of heart which at sometimes is the great grievance, and incumbrance of pious Souls, it is caused sometimes from immoderate sorrow, sometimes from fear sometimes from one cause, sometimes from another, but what ever the cause be, it certainly abates the Souls communion with God, at least its communications of itself to God. And by consequence, a freedom of Spirit, a readiness of heart to duty, with a liberty not of tongue only but of Spirit also (for without the latter, the former is but hypocrisy) advantageth, and promoveth the Souls communion with God.

4. A fourth thing which maketh the Souls communion with God more full is, An ability more strongly to exercise its saith upon God without doubting, whether it be in a stronger adherence or more firm persuasion.

5. On God's part the Souls communion is more full, when it receiveth from God more influences of grace testifying his acceptance of the Souls addresses unto him, or filling it with the sensible manifestations of his love, or enabling it more fully to communicate itself unto God, that it can be more attent in its thoughts, more fervent in Spirit, more free to, and in its performances, or exercise its faith more powerfully and strongly. This I conceive to be enough to have spoken in the explication of the Proposition, hinting you both wherein this more full, and free communion with God, is discernible, and also what those times or places are where, and when it may most ordinarily, and probably be obtained, which I conceive is the thing which the Spouse in the text expresseth her desire towards, and which she begs that her beloved would instruct her as to.

That this is the desire of every good Christian, appeareth,

1. From its deprecation of those things which would hinder it, and avoiding them so far as it can. Those things that hinder it are, 1. Intestine lusts and motions to sin, Vanity of thoughts, &c. 2. Diabolical Suggestions. Now there are no two things which the pious Soul more deprecateth then these two: Worldly distractions. Observe David how he bewailed his dwelling in Meshek; And having his habitation in the tents of Kedar and how bitterly in three several Psalms he bewails his being banished from Jerusalem, Psalm 42. Psal. 84. Psal. 63. So Psal. 120. v. 5. How sadly doth St. Paul bewail his body of death Rom. 7. 24.

2. From its thirstings after times, and opportunities of communion with God; of which also you have instances in all the Psalms before mentioned, Psal. 86. 11. He prays for an heart united to fear the Lord's name, Psal. 86. 11. And rejoiceth in a fixed heart, Psal. 57. 7. Psal. 208. v. 1.

Nor indeed can it possibly be otherwise as will appear to any Soul that understandeth what communion with God is. That which is the object of any rational Souls desire, must come under the notion of good, and so appear, and the more goodness, or suitableness to a Souls necessities is in any object, and appears to the Soul, the stronger must be the Souls motions to, and towards it. Now there is nothing in the World, can possibly appear to a pious Soul to have that degree of goodness in it, that an Union and communion with God hath, they being things suited to the Souls highest wants. Our communion with God, is the great testimony of our union with him, and that Soul that hath no evidence of a communion with God, will find itself at as great a loss to evidence its union with him. Besides, good is generally valued, and adjudged, either by profit or pleasure. The pious Soul knoweth, that the more full, or free, and less interrupted its communion with God is, the more sweet, and pleasant it is; duties are more our tasks, and burdens, then our delight and pleasure, when the Soul hath but a broken interrupted, and distracted communion with him. And as to profit nothing can be more considerable to the Soul, considering that the peace of the Soul, and the increase of its grace, are both much advantaged by it. David crieth out, Psal. 73. v. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee. The desire of God upon Earth (mentioned by the Psalmist) must be a desire of fellowship, and communion with God, which being in itself desirable, the more the Soul hath of it, the more full, and free, and less interrupted that communion is, the more still it must be the object of every pious Souls desire.

This (in the first place) will show us a certain difference, betwixt the Child of God, and an hypocrite. The profane man despiseth communion with God, and looks upon all discourses concerning union and communion with Christ as mere canting. The hypocrite pretends to something of communion with God, but any slight degrees of it, any acts by which he can but fancy he hath any such communion, serve his turn, and satisfy him. A formal hypocrite possibly cannot stop the mouth of his natural conscience, nor save his reputation with the World without the performance of some duties, which God hath instituted, wherein the People of God have a communion with God, he must sometimes pray, and hear a Sermon, but whether his heart be united to God in Prayer, whether he attends to the Words of the Prayer, whether he finds any fervency of Spirit or any freedom of Spirit to, or in the duty, whether his Soul performeth it with any exercise of faith in God; these are things he looks not after, neither are they the objects of his desires or endeavors.

Hence therefore conscientious Christians may take some just measures of themselves. A Christian indeed is not to be judged from his praying or hearing, but from his hungering and thirsting after a communion with God in the duties he performeth unto him and after such a communion with God, as I have been describing unto you; and if there be such desires in your Souls, they will be evidenced.

1. By the trouble of your Souls when you find you come short of it. Desire (not obtained) as well as hope deferred, will make the heart sick, no true Christian but at sometimes, will find his thoughts more wandering, his Affections more cold, his Spirit more straitened, his Faith more languid; to find this and not to be concerned for it, or troubled at it, is a very ill evidence against the Soul, that it hath no such desires as I have been discoursing of.

2. Secondly, Such desires will be attended with endeavors to avoid whatsoever may hinder such a communion with God. Real desires are always attended with proportionable endeavors. He that desires a more free, and full communion with his friend, will go out of a crowd of company, where he knows he cannot enjoy it. He that desires such a communion with Christ will find some time to get out of the crowds of Worldly business and company, where he knows he cannot have it.

3. And Lastly, The truth of such desires will be evidenced by the use of all probable means that may conduce to it.

He vainly pretends to desire a thing who will use no means within his reach, and power to obtain it. And that brings me in the last place to a Word of exhortation to the use of such means. For though it must be by an influence, a great influence of grace, that any Soul comes up to this, yet that is to be obtained by the use of due means on our part.

I shall briefly hint some probable means of this nature.

1. Make Religion as much your business as you can. I know it cannot be all our business while we are in the world. But the more it is our business the more our communion with God will be. When a Boy is first bound Apprentice, he knoweth not how to keep his mind to his business, it is much running after his idle diversions and recreations, but when he hath once been habituated to his work, by degrees he grows more serious, and fixed. So will the Soul as to its great business of communion with God.

2. Prepare your hearts to seek the Lord, by prayer, by sequestering yourselves sometime from your secular concerns. There lies much in this, for want of it, we are much accessory to our own distractions; and that interrupted broken communion with God, of which we complain.

3. Use your endeavors to lift up your hearts to God in duties, and to keep off such things as would hinder it. Frown upon your hindrances. If a man frowns upon one that would come to disturb him in any serious discourse with his friend, he must be very impudent that should continue such interruptions, or repeat them.

4. Lastly. Beg of God to make up what thou canst not do.

Hitherto I have only discoursed a notion of my own as to the Sense of my Text. I told you that the generality of Interpreters take notice of the Noon as the hottest time of the day, when the Sun emits its most direct beams, & so by it understand a time of Affliction and trial, for which interpretation, they have that of our Savior Math. 13. 6. 21. This will afford us two notions, the one more implied, the other more plainly expressed. I shall speak something only to the first of them at this time.

Prop. That Christ hath feeding, and resting places, and shades, wherewith, and wherein to refresh his Saints in the most scorching times of trial and affliction.

I shall only open the Proposition by showing you what these shades, these feeding & resting places are, & then shortly apply my discourse. As to the first I shall instance only in three particulars. David in his 23 Psal. maketh use of this very Metaphor, The Lord (saith he) is my Shepherd, v. 2. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he leadeth me besides the still Waters. It is the work of a Shepherd, to find out green pastures for his flock in the day time and a secure fold for them at night, yea and a fitting shadow for them at noon. Christ doth so for his little flock to whom it's his his Fathers and his will to give a Kingdom. There shall be no want of those that fear him. In the day time of their lives, he feeds, and protects them by his providence, he nourisheth them by his ordinances, and daily influences of grace. In the night of death, he folds their Bodies in the grave, their Souls in Abraham's bosom; It is the work of a Shepherd, to provide and look out pasture for his sheep when that ordinary pasture is burnt up like a wilderness; It is our great Shepherds work, to provide feeding, and resting places, when either public trials, afflictions, and persecutions debar them of their ordinary subsistence upon common providence, or ordinary and more public dispensations of public ordinances, and institutions, the common food of their Souls. But you will say to me, what are these shadows from the heat, these feeding, and resting places which Christ hath provided, wherein to feed and rest his flock at such a Noon?

1. First he feedeth them upon the promises, either more general, or more specially suited to their particular trials. Jeremiah saith, Jer. 15. 16. I found thy words and did eat them and they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart Jeremy possibly there speaketh of the word of Prophecy which was as welcome to him as his meat. But what was the word of Prophecy but the revelation of the will of God to him, which when it was foretelling some judgment to come upon the People is more ordinarily called, The Burden of the Lord? The Believing Soul also in the Noon time of his Affliction and trial, finds the word of the Lord, this he digesteth by faith, and they become the joy and rejoicing of his heart. By these things men live (said Hezekiah) some understand his affliction: Others the promises of God made to him in the day of his Affliction. The carnal heart understands not this food, it is to him all one with feeding upon the air. The promises are only yea and Amen in Christ; they are as show bread of which none but the Royal Priest-hood can eat, when the Child of God hath nothing else to eat, he will yet feed upon a promise. I had perished (saith David) in my affliction if thy word had not been my delight, Psal. 119. v. 92. Latimer is said to have made his last meal upon that promise, 1 Cor. 10. 13. Faithful is God, who will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able. It is also reported of one Mr. Midgely a Minister in Yorkshire, that being under horrid temptations to destroy himself, and going once to the water side with design to do it, carrying in his pocket the New Testament; he paused a while to read a little and happily fell upon that text, Mat. 1. 28. 29. Come unto me all you that are weary, and heavy laden and I will ease you; upon the reading of which he said to himself (or to God rather) sayest thou so? I will not then drown myself yet. The large field of the promises, is one of those green pastures; Where Christ at Noon feedeth his flock, and maketh them to rest. It is a feeding place which is at all times green, the promises contain the Sure mercies of God. He that liveth upon mere Sensible enjoyments, feedeth but upon Grass and Flowers. The Grass will wither, and Flowers will fade. But the word of the Lord abideth for Ever, and there are some promises or others, which suit the Soul in all its states, and circumstances of Trial and affliction.

2. Secondly, Christ sometimes feeds his flock at noon, upon Special Providences. And these are also of several sorts, either of Protection from the Evil, or Sustentation in, and under trouble or deliverances out of trouble sometimes when thousands, and ten thousands fall on their right, and left hand. The Plague shall not come nigh their dwellings, according to the promise, Psal. 91. v. 7. In a time of famine, Corn shall be fetched out of Egypt for Jacob's Family, the Prophet shall be fed by a raven, or the multiplying of the little meal in the widows barrel, and the little Oil in the cruse. Sometimes they shall by some miraculous, or at least inexpected ways, and means be delivered out of trouble, so were the three Children in the fiery furnace; Daniel, in the den of Lions; of these there are multitudes of instances in Ecclesiastical History.

3. Thirdly, He sometimes feeds his People by Special influences, either of strengthening or comforting grace. In the multitude of my perplexing thoughts (saith David) thy comforts delight my Soul, Psal. 34. v. 19. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, (saith the Apostle) so our consolations abound by Christ, 2 Corinth. 1. 5. He will (saith Job) put strength into me. Hence the Servants of God are enabled to rejoice in tribulation; & under sicknesses, have professed that they were never better, and in great trials have rejoiced with a joy unspeakable; Rejoicing in tribulation floweth not from the Tribulation. For no affliction is joyous, but grievous, but from the influences of God upon the Soul in, and under its tribulation. Some one or other of these ways, and means Christ feedeth his flock in a time of Trial, and maketh them to rest in the Noon time of Trials, and afflictions. I proceed to the application of this discourse.

This in the first place commendeth the love of Christ to his little flock. They say the Devil leaves the Witch when she is once in Gaol, or upon trial for her life, how true that is I cannot tell; but certain it is that his Servants have no great help from him in an hour of straits, and adversity; & this indeed speaks no love, which never so much or so clearly shineth as through a Cloud of sad Providences. Solomon tells us that a friend is made for an hour of adversity. But herein is the Love of Christ manifested to those that have relation to him, my Soul (saith Mary, Luk. 1. 4647.) doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior, for he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. Christ regardeth the low estate of his People, he leaveth them not when they are in distress, Isaiah 43. 1, 2. Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee, when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee: For I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Israel thy Savior. This lets us see the wonderful difference betwixt the state and condition of believers, and unbelievers. The world hath no places where to make their flocks to rest at Noon. The Devil takes no care for his flock at such a time. Other men may seem to do well enough so long as they have rest and ease, and prosperity. But what will they do in the day of their visitation? God takes another care for his People; when David can encourage himself in nothing else, he can encourage himself in his God. When the Fig-tree doth not blossom, and there is no fruit in the vine, when the fields yield no meat, and the flock are cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stall, yet even then they can rejoice in the Lord and be glad in the God of their Salvation, Habak. 3. 17, 18, 19. Under his shades we shall live (saith the Afflicted Church, Lam. 4. 20. I state under his shadow with great delight, saith the Spouse, Cant. 2. 3. There are many promises which God hath made to his People to be their hiding place, their rock, their Covert, their shadow from the storm, and from the tempest. To which I refer you.

In the next place; What cause of rejoicing and lifting up of the head is here to the People of God, whether such as lie under the present pressures of Trials or Afflictions, or such as have these storms in prospect, though they be not already fallen upon them. Is the noon of Trials and Afflictions come upon any of you? Hath the Lord taken away those gourds which heretofore were a shade to you, your health, friends, estate, your outward comforts, of what kind soever? yet be of good cheer, God is only changing your Souls Pastures: Hitherto you have lived more immediately upon the creature, you shall only now live more immediately upon God; hitherto you have lived by sight, God is now calling you to live by Faith; hitherto your great Shepherd hath fed you in the fields of sensible comforts and enjoyments, things that are seen, he is now calling you to live upon things that are invisible, but every way as sufficient for the support and sustenance of the Soul; he that hath fed thee in the morning, will not leave thee at noon time, Psal. 37. v. 3. Trust in the Lord, and do good, and so shalt thou dwell in the Land, and verily thou shalt be fed. David saith, He never saw the righteous forsaken. The Believer shall be fed, either with that bread which the world knoweth, and calleth so, or with that bread which the world knoweth, and calleth so, or with that bread which the world knoweth not of. There is a revolution of time, a vicissitude of Providences, but there is no change of the Word and Promises of God. Verily they shall be fed. There shall be no want to those that fear the Lord. A noon may come, but Christ hath a shadow, a feeding, a resting place for his flocks at noon. That God who hath kept thee in health, will also keep thee in sickness. He that hath hitherto kept thee from the malice of a most malicious world, will keep thee under the pressures of their malice: Only take care to Trust in the Lord, and to do good. Is not this thy case? Hast thou the storm only in prospect, but it is not yet fallen upon thee; and art thou only tormented with the fears of what is likely to come upon thee? ofttimes slavish fear proves a great evil, and an evil in prospect, is greater than when it is fallen upon a person. Let this encourage you to hear that Christ hath shades for his People at noon. God hath said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Let me only commend one Promise to you; it is made to the Church, and to every Believer as a Member of it; it is that, Isa. 4. 5, 6. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her Assemblies a cloud, and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for upon all the glory shall be a defense, and there shall be a Tabernacle in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from Storm and from Rain.

I will shut up this Discourse with a word or two of Exhortation.

First; To such as are yet none of the Inhabitants of Mount Zion: None of those, I mean, who are the true Members of the Church of Christ: Those who have no title, or are able to make out no title to the dwelling-places upon Mount Zion, or any of them; what a motive should this be to all such to endeavor what in them lieth, to get into Christ's little Flock. A noon must come. Possibly it is now morning with you, and you are more careless; but man is born to trouble, and it is as natural to human nature, as it is for sparks to fly upward, as Job tells us. The Children of God in respect to the world's hatred, are more exposed to others; but there is none who liveth and shall not see death; none that lives but must look to be in deaths often, of one nature or another. It is certainly the highest prudence to be prepared for all Assayes. Thou hast no way for this but to get an interest in Christ. Whilst thou art an Egyptian, thou canst not look for the Privileges of one that is an Inhabitant in Goshen. Doest thou ask me how can this be? How should I who am a Goat be transformed into a Sheep? Our Savior answers thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God; he can be none of that little Flock to whom it is God's will to give that Kingdom. Regeneration, a new Birth, from the holy Spirit, can only make this Spiritual Metamorphosis. Thy work in order to it, lieth only in some external actions, such as refraining what thou canst from sin, waiting upon God in Ordinances, calling upon God in Prayer, not resisting the motions of his holy Spirit.

2d Branch. Secondly; This Discourse ought to quicken such as are of the Flock of Christ in all their Noons of Affliction and Trial, to betake themselves to Christ's shades, to the places where Christ useth to feed, and to make his Flocks to rest at Noon. What those shades are, I have shown you; our work is to betake ourselves unto them. It is natural to us when we are pursued to look for a covert, for some refuge or shelter, where we may hide ourselves till the storm be passed over, and to flee to such places where we think that we may be secure. There is no true shelter but in Christ's shades. Let us then inquire what is the duty of a good Christian in an evil day, that he may bring his Soul to a rest and quiet.

1. The first and great thing is, to look out our Evidences, to make out our title to, and interest in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must entitle ourselves to the great Shepherd of our Souls, as our Shepherd, before we can expect that he should in a scorching time make us to lie down in green Pastures, and lead us besides the still waters, and encourage ourselves as David, Psal. 23. 4. Though I walk through the shadow of death, I shall fear none evil, for thou art with me; thy Rod and thy Staff comfort me.

2. That done, a Christian's next work is, to look out the Promises which God hath made, either such as are more general, and respect his People under any Trial, or such as are more special, and relate to the People under any Trial, or such as are more special, and relate to the People of God under such particular pressures of Affliction that they lie under. The Book of holy Scriptures is a great Store-house, there is scarce any condition of Christians to which some Promises are not suited. It is of great use for a Christian to know, and understand, and be acquainted with the Promises: They are as the Jointure to the Wife, all that she hath to live upon; only with this difference, the Woman liveth not upon the Jointure which her earthly Husband hath made her, till he be dead. Christ died once, he dieth no more, but ever lives; but the Promises are what the Soul liveth upon, when God seems as dead, withdrawing himself from the support and protection of his People. A good Christian ought not therefore to be a stranger to them.

3. It is the duty of a Christian to betake himself to these shades; to eye the Promises, to commit himself unto them, to hope in them; these are acts and exercises of Faith. Come my People (saith God by his Prophet Isaiah,) Enter into the Chambers, and hide thyself for a little time, till the indignation be overpast. Our coming is by Faith, committing ourselves unto God, and trusting in him, 1 Pet. 4. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their Souls unto him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. Christ is the primary object of our Faith, the Promises are the proximate objects. In such a time therefore let every good Christian call the Promises to his mind, whet them upon his Soul, offer his Soul to them, call upon it to trust in them.

4. It is the duty of a Christian at such a time to wait upon God with patience. God ought to be trusted in regard of his Truth and Faithfulness, his Power and Goodness. He ought to be waited upon in regard of his Majesty, and Greatness, and Wisdom. The Promises are ofttimes made in general, for help, deliverance, strength, and the like, without specifying the particular way and method which God will use, and without limitations of time; He that believeth maketh not hast.

5. There must be a close walking with God, though we be sore broken in the place of Dragons, and covered with the shadow of death, yet we must not forget the Name of our God; our heart must not turn back from him; we must not deal falsely in our Covenant with him, nor suffer our steps to decline from his way, Psal. 44. The Promise, Psal. 37. 4. that we shall dwell in the Land, and be certainly fed, is prefaced with a Precept, to trust in the Lord, and to do good. And the advice of the Apostle Peter is to commit our Souls in well doing unto God, as to a faithful Creator.

6. Lastly, Prayer must be added, the promises are God's bonds, by which he hath made himself a Debtor to his Creature. Prayer is an action of ours, by which we put these bonds in suit.

Sermon XLIII.

I Am still upon the Spouses third Petition to her Beloved. Tell me (O thou whom my Soul loveth) where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon. Methinks I could say with Peter, when he was with his Master upon the Mount of Transfiguration. It is good for us to be here; let us build here two Tabernacles, one for the Spouse, another for her Beloved. What she would have in this Petition clouded with Metaphors, I have more fully before opened, either a more full communion with Christ, most free from interruptions: Or his more special influence upon her in her hours of affliction, and persecution. I have spake something already to it in both these senses. I have but one thing to add, before I come to the words, which are the reason of her Petition, that is from the form of the words, considered as a prayer, so expressive both of her wants, and desires a supply. The Proposition I shall shortly speak to is this.

Prop. That though a Believer at all times fees a need of the presence, and influence of the grace of Christ: yet more especially in the time of afflictions and trials.

Return unto me, for I am married unto you (saith the Lord) was God's language of old to his ancient Spouse, the People of the Jews. The Apostle largely pursueth the same metaphor, Eph. 5. 32. This is a great mystery, I speak concerning Christ and the Church, so he concludeth his discourse; the Wife desireth her Husbands presence at all times. God hath made the Woman the weaker sex, and the Wife stands in daily need of her Husband, (whom God hath made her head) to guide, and conduct her, she is not only as a Vine for fruitfulness, but for weakness and dependency also; so is every believing Soul, it hath always need of that promise, I will never leave you nor forsake you. But as the Wife hath more especial need of the Influence, and assistance of her Husband, in times, and matters of difficulty and distress: so hath the believing Soul, so that he at all times prayeth with David, Psal. 27. 9. Hide not thy face from me, put not away thy Servant in anger, thou hast been my help, leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my Salvation. The Child of God knoweth what will follow at any time, if the Sun of Righteousness doth not shine upon him, all his protection, strength, life, healing is in the shadow of his Wings. But yet I say he or she seeth a more especial need of his presence and influence, in the noon of sharp Trials, and Afflictions. Hence you shall observe, that though the Servants of God have kept their daily courses of prayer, yet at such times they have used themselves to more solemn addresses, and applications to God, of which you have plentiful instances in Scriptures, in the solemn fasts, and prayers put up to God in such times, and their more special Petitions, put up with reference to such times, and dispensations of Providence. Hence David crieth out, Psal. 22. 11. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, for there is none to help me, and again, v. 19. Be not thou far from me O God, make hast to help me; so again, Psal. 35. 22. It was a time of great outward straights with David, as you may see by reading all the former part of that Psalm, v. 22. This (saith he) thou hast seen O God, keep not silence, O Lord be not thou far from me; so Psal, 38. 21, 22. Psal. 71. 12. Every Christians experience is a full proof of this, so as the Proposition needeth no further proof, only let me show you the reason of it.

The great Reason is, Because we are all of us more prone to live by sight, then by faith. The Apostle saith, we live by faith, not by sight. He tells you what he himself, and other Christians then did, and what all good Christians should do. The just (saith the Prophet) shall live by faith. But through our infirmity we do live more by sight, then we do by faith. It is a lesson very hard to flesh and blood, could we live more by faith, there would be these two consequents to such a life.

1. In the day of our sensible contentments, we should live more upon the word, and promises of God, then upon any sensible comforts and enjoyments. But it is hard for us to have a staff lent us, and not to lean upon it, so when it breaketh, we come to see our errors, and see more need of the influences of Divine Grace at such, then at other times.

2. We should see as much in God, and in Christ to uphold, and maintain ourselves in an evil day, as at any other times, for the promises are the same, and Christ in whom all the promises are yea, and Amen, is the same, and God's all-sufficiency is the same, he is at all times the God that changeth not. This being premised as the great and original cause, we may conceive some further, and more particular reasons.

2. Because in this Noon, all creature comforts fail: yea, and in some afflictions, sensible spiritual comforts sometimes fail also. In trials that are more external, such as bodily afflictions, persecutions, &c. outward comforts fail; when the Sun shineth upon our Tabernacles, and the rod of God is not upon us, we are then ready to forget God, when Jeshurun waxed fat, he kicked up the heel, when these outward consolations are taken away, then the Soul beginneth to see, that it stands in need of some other supports. If the Affliction be some divine desertion, then the sensible consolations of the Holy Spirit fail also, what Daviá said in his prosperity, Psal. 30. 6. I shall never be moved, we are all of us too prone to say in the day of our prosperity, but as it fared him with, v. 7. so it fareth with us, when the Lord hideth his face we are troubled. It is too natural even to the best of men not to know the God of our mercies, in the day of our mercies. It was Israel's sin, Hosea 2. 8. For she did not know that I gave her Corn, and Wine, and Oil. We do not so duly attend to that which we profess to know, that our Soul strength, and Soul comforts are from the Lord, and hence it is, that in the day when they are withdrawn, we see a more special need of the presence, and influence of Christ upon us. It is the unhappiness, and infirmity of human nature, that we seldom either understand our mercies, or the Author and Fountain of them, till we come to want them, while we have health, and peace, and liberty, while we have inward strength and quiet, we neither understand the value of these mercies, nor Eye God as we should do, as the Author of them, but in the noon time of our trials, and afflictions, whether more immediately from God, in bodily afflictions, or divine desertions, or more immediately from men, then we both understand the value of our mercies, and also what need we have of the presence of God with us, and the influences of God upon us. At other times we live very much upon our more sensible enjoyments, now we have not them to live upon, and so see a more need of a God, and a Christ to live upon.

3. Ordinarily at such a time. Our lusts, and corruptions move very impetuously. A man never so well knows the lusts, and corruptions of his own heart, as in an evil day. Natura vexata prodit S • ipsam. Anger a man (we say) and you will see his temper, when God by his providence vexeth a poor creature as others will see something, so he will see more what lusts, and corruptions are in his heart. The Devil knew this well enough, when he replied to God commending his servant Job, Put forth now thine hand and touch him, and he will eurse thee to thy face. Now as every good Soul keepeth a watch upon his heart and observeth the motions of sin and lust in his Soul, so he never seeth more of the need of the presence and influence of God upon his Soul, then when Iniquities prevail against him. When Paul cries out of the body of death, he presently cries out, O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me?

4. Lastly, His Grand Adversary the Devil is never more busy then at such a time. Times of afflictions are not only times of divine temptations, when God proveth, and trieth his People whether they will adhere, and keep close to him, but of Diabolical Suggestions and temptations also. When the Devil is making trial whether he can pluck a Soul out of Christ's hand, and out of his Fathers hand. The Psalmist calls the Devil The fowler and he knows hard weather is the best time for his purpose, he first gets a commission against Job to take away all that he had, saving his life only and then his Wife cometh, and persuadeth him to curse God and die, and he followeth him with many other Suggestions, and temptations. This was the reason of Saint Paul's writing to the Church of Corinth to restore the incestuous Person who by his order was cast out of their communion, lest saith he, he should be swallowed up of too much grief; and Satan should have advantage against him, for we are not ignorant of his devices. We are never so sensible what need we have of our friends, as when our enemies appear most busy, most strong, and active. Hence it is that although a believer seeth a need of the presence and influence of Christ at all times, yet he never seeth so great a need of him as in a time of great and sharp trials, and afflictions, when trouble is hard at hand. I shall shut up this discourse with a Word or two of exhortation shortly.

This should engage all of us so to behave ourselves towards our Lord in the morning of our prosperity that we may not want his presence, and influence, in the noon of our trials, afflictions, and adversity. It is a mighty folly in any of us to live, as we had no Prospect of the ordinary, or necessary contingencies of human life. Prudence quasi providence, Solomon saith, The wise man hath his Eyes in his head. And these Eyes are employed in looking forward, as well as round about him at the present. It is a great folly in a man to spend, as if it were not possible he should ever come to want, or to live as if he should never see death. The wise man lives in a constant view of what may be, or what is likely to be, and in some kind of provision for it. It were mighty madness for any in a morning (though it be never so cool) to conclude it would never be Noon or Night. Man is born to trouble (saith Job) as the sparks fly upward. Good men seem to be more particularly designed for it, if not from the appointment of God, who hath ordered their portion in another life, yet from that hatred and enmity which the world hath to them, and to the ways wherein they walk.

It is therefore an high point of wisdom in all men to have them in prospect, and be preparing for them; this can be done no better way than by taking heed to our conversations in times of health, peace and liberty. We must not think to abuse, or to live in the neglect and contempt of a friend, in the time of our prosperity and liberty, and to have him at our beck, ready to help us in the time of our straits and adversity. God had often delievered the Jews in their distresses, when they cried unto him, Judge. 10. 6. They did evil • again in the sight of the Lord, and served Balaam and Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria and Moab, v. 7. God sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the Children of Ammon. V. 10. They again cried unto the Lord; observe what answer God gave them, v. 11, 12. Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the Children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Moabites did oppress you, and you cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hands, yet you have forsaken me, and served other gods; Wherefore I will deliver you no more; Go, and cry unto the gods which you have chosen, let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. If as we have a need of the presence and influence of Christ at all times, so we shall have a more special apprehension of that need in any time of affliction and distress, we stand highly concerned to take heed how we carry ourselves to him in the time of our health, peace, liberty, prosperity. As we use him in the days of our health, peace, and liberty, so we shall find him in the days of our sickness, distress, or other adversity: So as considering our subjections to trials and afflictions, here is a potent Argument to persuade our keeping close to the Laws of Christ while we are at liberty. But I shall add no more to my discourse upon this Proposition; and have done with the Spouse's Petition, and come to that Argument by which she presseth this Petition,— For why should I be as one who turneth aside by the flocks of thy Companions? When I opened the words, I noted to you, That the 70 Interpreters, Montanus, and some others, translate the words as one that covereth herself. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , so the Dutch Annotators; Junius and Tremellius, as one that stretcheth out a Tent, by the flocks of thy Companions. The Syriac, and the Ethiopic Versions, and the Vulg. Lat. who is also followed by Pagnine, translate it, as one that wandreth, or one that turneth aside.

The Radical word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which primarily signifieth to cover, in a secondary sense to wander or turn aside. I before noted, that covering denoted three things amongst the Eastern Nations. 1. Modesty. Virgins therefore went veiled into the company of men especially. 2. Shame. Harlots therefore covered themselves, as you read, Gen. 38. 14. 3. Sorrow, Ezek. 24. 17. So as the sense of the words seemeth to be this.

Why should I that am married to thee, be taken for one not married to thee, or for one that goeth on whoring from thee? or for one that is a mourner, through great grief and heaviness?

Or if you take it in the second sense, she plainly hints her aptness to wander without the conduct and guidance of the Lord Jesus Christ, and accordingly she deprecateth it. By wandering or turning aside, must be understood a deviation from the statutes and Commandments of God. By that term [the flocks of thy Companions] I told you some understanding Idolaters, some, Heretics, the Idolater makes his Idol Christ's Companion, giving it the same worship that is due to him. The heretic maketh some creature, his leader, Christ's Companion, taking his Instruction from him. But I told you I should rather understand it of true Christians, whom the Apostle saith Christ is not ashamed to call Brethren, but yet the former sense being embraced by grave, and reverend Authors, I shall not pass it over without a few words relating to it. Observe then,

1. Here are two things which the Spouse seemeth to fear, and so deprecateth, Sin, and Scandal; Sin especially those two great Sins of Idolatry and Heresy. Scandal lest she should be any ways a reproach to the Gospel, and give occasion to any to speak evil of the ways of God, and to reproach the Gospel.

2. The Spouse in this reason that she gives for her Petition, doth suggest, that without the influence and support of her Lord, she should never be able in an hour of great temptation, to make straight steps to her feet, and to keep herself upright, she should be ready to wander and turn aside.

3. That which the Spouse expresseth, is an earnest desire to be kept from sin, and from scandal: She doth therefore use this as an Argument to plead with her Lord for his presence and influence, that she might not sin against the Lord, nor being overcome with temptations, or swallowed up with grief, become a scandal to her Profession. Here are two things which offer themselves as matter for my Discourse.

1. The insufficiency of a. Soul to avoid sin and scandal, without the presence and influence of Christ upon it. This the Spouse owneth and acknowledgeth. It is as much as if she should say, Lord, if thou doest not help and assist me in the Noon of my trials and afflictions, if thou dost not show me, where at such times thou feedest thy flocks, and makest them to rest at Noon, I shall wander, I shall turn aside by the flocks of those that are set up for thy Companions; I shall go a whoring from thee, and upon that account walk as one covered for shame, amongst those who are thy People. But this is a subject which I have before handled, when I discoursed upon those words; Draw me, and we will run after thee.

2. The second thing is, The two great objects of a believing Soul's fear, are sin and scandal. Why should I wander, or turn aside, or walk as one covered for shame, like an Harlot? All these senses speak her fear of sin. Or, why should I walk as a mourner, covered and dejected? or as an unbeliever, one that is not married to thee? Those senses of the words express her fear of scandal.

Prop. That sin, and Scandal are the two great objects, of the believing Souls fear.

What sin is I need not spend many Words to tell you. The Apostle gives you the full notion of it when he calleth it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , A Non-conformity to the divine law, which notion comprehendeth original sin, which lieth in the absence of the divine Image, and the ill complexion of the Soul resulting from it, and actual sin, which is well described by Augustine to be, every thought, Word, and deed which is contrary to the holy Law of God. Sin is often in Scripture set out under the notion of erring, wandering, going astray, and that dependeth upon another Metaphor we often meet with in Scripture, comparing a course of holiness unto a way, with relation to which sin (which is a deviation from holiness) is expressed by the notions of erring, wandering, going astray, turning aside, &c. The Precepts of God are expressed also under the notion of a rule and a guide; hence sin is called a crooked way. Now all sin is the object of the believers fear but not all alike. For as there is a difference in the guilt of sin, so there will be a difference in the Souls fear, it will most tremble at those sins which render it most obnoxious to the wrath of God, of which nature Idolatry is; and indeed the guilt of it much lieth here, that in that sin the creature is made the companion of God, and the Worship due unto God alone is either given unto it or shared betwixt God and it. The notion of Scandal is not so obvious, I shall therefore enlarge a little in my discourse on that. The Words Scandal and Scandalize are hardly found in any Profane Authors; the Scripture therefore must open that term to us. A Scandal properly and strictly, is something laid in a man's way at which one is prone to stumble, and fall, the Word which the Septuagint translate by this Word we translate a stumbling block, Levite. 19. 14. Thou shalt not put a stumbling block before the blind. The Hebrew Word is by our translators rendered offense, 1 Sam. 25. 31. This is all we can get from the Etymology of the Word, it signifies anything at which another stumbles, and falls, thence it is applied to such things as are to others occasions of sin which is the stumbling, and falling of the Soul; so Aquinas I think rightly describeth Scandals to be any Words, or actions of ours by which others have an occasion of ruin; That is sinning which is the Spiritual ruin of a man, or woman. In this sense man only can be Scandalized, he cannot be tempted to evil. But two ways a Scandal may reflect upon God.

1. As by our carriages his glory may be prejudiced amongst men, his name blasphemed, his ways reproached, and these actions which produce such effects we call Scandals.

2. As others by our carriages may be induced to sin against God. So that Scandals may be committed two ways. When we so behave ourselves as we cause the Master which we serve, the Gospel which we profess, or the way wherein we walk to be evil spoken of; or that others by our example are enticed to sin. Scandals are ordinarily divided, into such as are not only taken but given also: and such as are merely taken but not given.

1. The latter is what is called Seandalum Pharisaeorum. The scandal of the Pharisees because they were so offended at our Savior. This is when men are offended at us and speak evil of us or of the ways of God for our sake, though we do nothing but what is our duty, and we must not omit for the offense of any Persons. These are now only passive Scandals, Scandals taken, and not given, and the guilt lieth not upon those who do the actions but upon those who are troubled that others are more righteous then they, and will do what they judge God requireth of them, without regard to the pleasing or displeasing of any. These are not the Scandals which a good man feareth.

2. But then there is an active Scandal or a Scandal given, and this may be two ways.

1. By any open sinful actions. Thus we call open sinning Scandalous sinning. Because it giveth a just offense to all good People, and because it of its own nature tendeth to cause the name of God to be blasphemed, and the Gospel, and ways of God to be reproached, and evil spoken of, and is an inducement to others also to sin against God.

2. It is also committed by an ill use of our liberty, in things where God's Law hath left us our liberty, when we will do actions, which although we think we may do, yet others think are unlawful, and our doing of them may either cause them that have another opinion to reproach us and our profession, or induce them doubting concerning the lawfulness of them, yet to do them because they see us whom they look upon as stronger, doing of them, thus we abuse our liberty by choosing that action by which our Brother is offended, grieved or made weak, now these Scandals are such as next to our personal plain sinnings ought to be the object of all good Christians fear.

I must confess as to these last mentioned Scandals, by actions, in which I judge God hath left me in his Law a full and perfect liberty, but others have not the same apprehensions so as my taking one part may cause in other Christians, hard thoughts or hard speeches concerning me. Or if not so, yet my example may induce them though they doubt, yet to adventure upon the same actions, and sin against God, (for he that doubteth is damned if he eateth, that which another who doubteth not may freely eat.) I say as to such Scandals there is a very hard question in Divinity, viz. what is a Christians duty, suppose him pressed by a Superiors command on the one side, if he doth not do it he disobeyeth his Superiors in a thing which he confesseth not to be forbidden by the Word God, and so seemeth to sin against the Precept of obedience to them. On the other side he seeth, that if he doth the thing, he shall not only grieve many good Christians who think the thing lawful, but possibly cause them to entertain hard thoughts of him, or to speak hardly of him: or if not so, yet (which is worse) to do the same thing though they doubt of the lawfulness. Nay further it may be that the command of Superiors in the case may be attended with penalties which may ruin a man & his family. What is to be done here is an hard case: That it is not our duty to obey Superiors in all things is out of question: that we ought to obey them in things of which we are strongly persuaded that they are unlawful, whether they be so or no, is what no weighed Divine will say; whether this be not, though not Originally, yet with respect to circumstances a thing unlawful, so as it is not just matter of a Superiors Precept, that is the question. On the other side: That St. Paul said he would never eat flesh while the World stood rather then make his brother to offend, 1 Cor. 8. 13. I observe, St. Paul doth not say I will eat no meat, but no flesh while the World standeth; flesh is but one Species of meat, he might eat other things, and support his life. And as to that Species of meat, it must doubtless be restrained by the former discourse: which is of meat that had been set before Idols: This he determines unlawful, 1 Cor. 20. doubtless it is unlawful for a man to starve himself rather then offend his Brother. St. Paul speaks of a thing if not unlawful, yet as to which he was at a full liberty; he could forbear it without any remarkable prejudice to himself. Besides, the Scandal in the case is but a contingency, he is not sure his Brother will be made to offend by his example or action. The case is a very hard case, but I shall spend no more Words about it, that being not the Scandal which cometh within the compass of my text: But either such Scandal as ariseth from actions plainly sinful, or at least actions, that have no such circumstances. Whether we interpret covered, as an harlot was covered, or as a mourner was covered, both such Scandals are the just fears of all good Christians.

1. Sin is the object of every good Christians fear upon many accounts. As it defileth the Soul and taketh away its beauty, and comeliness, as it rendereth the Soul guilty and obnoxious to the wrath of God: As it Spoileth the Souls peace, & causeth sour reflections of conscience. As it hazardeth the Souls Salvation. As indeed it is the cause of that evil, all that evil that can befall a man, especially considering that every good Christian knoweth this, and in one degree or other hath felt it so as it needeth no more then its own former experience to confirm it, and can have no fruit, no pleasure, in those things for which it hath formerly so trembled, and of which it hath been, and is still ashamed. He that loves the Lord hateth evil, Psal. 97. 10. David hated the works of them that turned aside, Psal. 101. 3. Now whatsoever is the object of our hatred when it cometh near us, and we see a probability of being surprised with it we naturally fear.

2. As to scandal: If it be given by any sinful action of ours, it is doubtless sin, and to be feared equally with any other sin, it being but the aggravation of a sinful act. The case is also the same, if it be caused through an ill use of our liberty, in a case where we have a perfect liberty, though the act be not in itself sinful, yet the circumstance makes it so. The reason is, because in things of an indifferent nature we are tied up to general Rules, and are obliged to do that which shall be most, 1. For the glory of God. 2. For the good of others. 3. Which will give least offense to Jew or Gentile. Those golden Rules given us by the Apostle, in 1 Cor. 10. 31, 32, 33. There are three great Reasons why every good Christian will as much fear scandal, as any other more plain downright sinning.

1. The concern of the glory of God; that is an end we must aim at in all our actions, whether Natural, Moral, or Religious. The glory of God is as much prejudiced by the sin of another, as by my own sin; so that in all scandals the honor of God is wounded two ways; 1. By my own sin, who ought not so to have used the liberty which his Word left me. 2. By the others sinning occasioned by my sin. David 's Eyes ran down with Rivers of water, because others did not keep the Law of God.

2. The concern of his Brothers Soul, which is destroyed by his sin. For thy meat (saith the Apostle) destroy not thy Brother, for whom Christ died. God makes it a mark of hatred of our Brother, not to reprove him, nor to suffer sin upon him; how much greater hatred must it speak in us to give him Exemplum malae rei aedificantes in gehennam (as Tertullian somewhere describes scandal) to set him an example contributing to his destruction. Love will not lay a stumbling block in the path of the blind. How can any man say, he loveth his Brother, that doth not not lay a stumbling block before his Brother, to make his body to stumble and fall, but to make his Soul to fall?

3. The concern of the peace and quietness of his own Soul is in it too. He that is of any tenderness of Conscience, will find no peace in the doing of anything which reflecteth any dishonor upon God, or tendeth to destroy his Brother for whom Christ died.

We may learn from hence, that the fear of sin and scandal, are no ill signs in any Souls in whom they are found. It is a noble • nd Divine temper to be afraid of sinning against God. The best of men in the Old Testament are ordinarily described under the notion of men fearing God. No man can fear God but the man that feareth sin; whether he feareth the Lord, and his power, and greatness, with a more servile fear, or feareth the Lord and his goodness, which is a more filial and ingenuous fear, one of the first fruits, or prime evidences of it, is a fear of sinning against God; and that man who feareth not sin, feareth not God. It is true, there may be an excess of this fear, through our infirmity ignorance, and mistake; a man may have a timorated Conscience, and be sometimes afraid where no fear is, and this often happeneth in Persons under the power, and prevailing of Melancholy, which darkeneth a man's reason. In such a case it is rather the effect of a natural disease, than the genuine and proper motion of a reasonable Soul. A man also free from that distemper, through ignorance and infirmity may be afraid of actions as sinful, which indeed are not so; but this is an error on the right hand. It is much better in this case to fear too much, than too little; to forbear many lawful actions for fear of sinning against God in them, when the weak Conscience is not fully satisfied, then to run on adventurously, when the Conscience doubteth. Let others despise and mock at Persons, as those that would be too precise and pure, that durst not do some actions as to which others make no difficulty; nay, it may be think them their duty. My Soul shall, I hope, always reverence those in whom I discern an uniform fear of sin. If men indeed strain at Gnats, and swallow Camels; pretend a Conscience in some things, but regard not the dictates of it in other things, this is Hypocrisy; this is but a pretended fear. But if you see Christians in all their other ways strict and conscientious, taking heed to their ways, though I may think that in some things they fear too much, and scruple what I do not scruple, nor see any sin in, yet I hope I shall always reverence such Persons. I may be mistaken as well as they, and who hath made me more infallible than they are? It is a noble temper to be afraid of sinning against God, and so consequently to be afraid of scandal, not only of doing acts that are openly sinful, but of doing such actions which we think we cannot do without grieving, offending, and making to stumble and fall those for whom Christ died. If Christ had such a value for Souls, as for the Redemption of them, to come down from Heaven to Earth, and to die upon the Cross, certainly they should not be so cheap in my sight; as for the good of them, I will not forbear the least thing which I may as well forbear as do. It is possible that Religious People may fear scandal too much: They may in some particulars be afraid of their duty, for fear of offending Brethren; they may lay too great a stress upon a scandal of grief: But these are very pardonable things in comparison of men's neither fearing God nor men, and running on in courses of actions, without regarding the offense of God or of men. Every good man will in your City be wary of leaving ladders in streets, or heaps of muck, or any pits uncovered, from whence Persons in the dark may receive any mischief, and this is but in conformity to the ancient Law of God, which commanded the Jews to lay no stumbling blocks in the way of the blind: Have we charity for our neighbors Bodies, and have we none for their Souls? Are we tender of making them wound, or break a bodily limb, and have we no regard to the making them wound the honor and glory of God, and the peace of their own Souls, and to hazard their own eternal Salvation? If men had any drams of true Brotherly Love, they would at least forbear actions, as to which they have a perfect liberty, with which they know any number of f • ber Persons will be offended. This I speak as to things in which they have a perfect liberty. For what things I apprehend that I ought to do as my duty toward God, or to forbear upon that account, I can neither do the one, nor forbear the other, to avoid offending others, the reason is, because Charity (as we say) ought to begin at home; every man or woman is obliged in the first place to attend, and look after the Peace and eternal Salvation of his own Soul.

Obj. But you will say to me, What shall we do in cases where we are under the command of Superiors, to do things which yet we see we cannot do, but we shall give occasion of offense to Christians not so well satisfied as we are?

Sol. I told you before, that I apprehend this a very hard case. The Law of God obligeth me to obey my Superiors; it also commandeth me to give no offense, to lay no stumbling block before my Brother, and this Law concerneth Superiors as well as Inferiors. As I ought not to do any such actions which probably may give occasion to my Brother to sin; so no Superiors ought to command me to do any such things: Superiors therefore unquestionably sin, in making any such things the matters of their command. But admit they will not do their duty, still the question is, what is mine?

I do not think the command of a Superior in this case can take hold of my conscience, my reason is, because his command in this case is contrary to the command of God who hath commanded him as well as me to give no offense, to lay no stumbling block in the way of his Brother. If he sinneth in the matter of his command I cannot sin in withholding my active obedience, that is certain. But if he will not be sensible of his duty, nor only command, but command under penalties that I though originally at liberty must do the thing, or ruin myself and family, this much narroweth the case. Here now the question lies: Whether in a matter, as to which I have originally a perfect liberty, and so judge but through the iniquity of a Superiors command, must either do or forbear this or that action or ruin myself and family: and on the other side, if I do do it, or do forbear it, I see I shall not only grieve my Brother, but cause him to sin probably, what is my duty? Whether ought the contingency of my Brothers stumbling, and sinning by my example, to rule me and cause me rather to choose the loss of all. I must confess I do here a little hesitate. My reason is, because my Brothers fall is not necessitated by my action, he ought to live by rule not by example, to follow me no further then I follow Christ, to allow me to live by my own faith, while yet he lives and walks by his own faith. That may be lawful to me, which to him is not lawful because he doubteth, and cannot see with my eyes. Oh! how happy would the World be, if Superiors would only press things which they apprehend necessary by a divine Precept (I mean in relation to the things of God, for in civil things Superiors are more absolute Judges) and if in anything they mistake and apprehend things such which indeed are not, they would be very tender (for that can be but in very few cases) and if private Persons, would learn not to judge others but in things where they see them act apertly, and plainly against the will of God, and not arrogate infallibility to themselves, and others would learn not to be too positive upon their own apprehensions, nor make others practice their rule, but to live by their own faith. But this is but a digression; I say, It is a good thing to fear sin, and to fear Scandal.

I shall shut up this discourse with an Exhortation to Christians, to make sin, and Scandal the objects of their fear I shall not need to enlarge much upon the first, it being the confessed duty of everyone that owneth the name of a Christian, or any relation to Jesus Christ. He that feareth not what is plainly sinful feareth God in no sense, he neither feareth the Lord and his greatness, nor yet the Lord, and his goodness I shall only tell you that he who feareth sin, feareth the occasions, and appearances of it. But I shall rather press the exhortation with reference to Scandal, calling upon you to take heed of any actions,

1. Which may draw out the lusts and corruptions, of other men's hearts to entertain any hard thoughts, or use any hard speeches concerning Profession, and Religion. Now these are in the first place, 1. All actions that are openly sinful; this was that which stuck to David, when he had committed those two great sins of Adultery with Bathsheba, and the murder of Uriah, and God had declared his pardoning him these sins, nevertheless saith he, because thou hast made the Enemies of God to Blaspheme, the Child shall die, the Sword shall never depart from thy house. The honor and glory of God is a tender thing, and it is a dreadful thing for Christians to give a cause for the name of God to be evilly spoken of.

2. But 2dly good Christians are not only concerned to take heed of such actions, as are acts of plain impiety and unrighteousness. But of such behavior, and such acts, as should make Religion and religious Persons appear unlovely, to the World; let me instance in three or four things.

1. Take heed either of an over sad, and pensive, or of an over light, and cheerful behavior. The sober and serious Christian, that knoweth his times to laugh, and times to weep, and decent measures to be observed in both, is the only man that honoreth Religion. He that walks covered, by the flocks of Christ's companions, covered as a mourner, or covered as if he were not married to Christ, or covered as an harlot, whose face is always full of shame and his Eyes always full of tears, doth not honor Religion; let a Christian betwixt God and his Soul alone, cover himself with as much shame as he will, and let his Eyes run down with tears in his closet, but take heed of dishonoring Profession by a continual drooping, and sadness. That Christian that is over merry, and jolly offends on the other hand, and as much Scandalizeth Profession. Canst thou be merry, canst thou play foolish Soul who sinnedst today? (saith our English Poet) we sin too much to be over frolic. Both these extremes are to be avoided.

2. Take heed of a rash tongue. I know none more Scandalize Religion and Godliness, than such whose Tongues must be always running, and who give themselves a liberty to say, Quidlibet de quolibet, anything of any Persons, who say, report and we will report it. Hence James accounts the Government of the tongue to the perfection of Religion. The tongue is a little member, saith James, Jam. 2. 5 but it kindleth great fires, it is a World of iniquity, an unruly evil, full of deadly Poison; I know nothing by which Religion is more Scandalized, then by the ungoverned tongues of Professors.

3. Take heed of being busy bodies in other men's matters. They who must have an Oar in every Boat, besides that they never row their own Boat well, shall be sure to have everybody quarrelling with them. You shall observe that the Scripture never gives a busy body a good character. He reckons them as Persons that walk disorderly, 2 Thes. 3. 11. He joineth them with idle Persons, 2 Tim. 5. 13. He commands men to take heed of suffering upon this score, 1 Pet. 4. 15.

3. And lastly; Good Christians ought to take heed of those actions or carriages, which although themselves judge lawful, (and possibly they are so) yet are generally offensive to Christians, and the most serious Christians, especially in those Churches and places in which God hath cast their lot. All see not with the same Eyes, and we ought to have regard to the Souls of others, and to a Peace with others. Hence some things may be lawful for us in one place, and under some circumstances, which are unlawful in other places, and under other circumstances. Now such things may either concern Religious duties, as to the Acts of which, though all be agreed, yet they may not as to circumstances. Where thou hast a perfect Liberty, it is thy duty to forbear such circumstances, as, though thou thinkest lawful, yet thou feest will be grievous and offensive to others. 2. As to our Civil behavior in matters of habits and dresses. It may be thou thinkest the things in themselves lawful, others think them unlawful. Why shouldst thou walk like one covered by the flock of Christ's Companions? Why shouldest thou for an indifferent thing, bring thyself under the hard thoughts of any number of serious Christians. The things themselves in thy apprehension are lawful, and it is also lawful for thee to decline them; why shouldest thou not choose the less offensive part? You may learn from 1 Cor. 11. that Christians in such things as these are to have a great respect to the common guise and custom of places, and especially to the common guise and custom to such as themselves in those places. God forbad the Jews the very habits of Heathens. I believe good Christians as much prohibited the habits of profane Persons, so far as they are distinct from those of the generality of sober Christians: So in matters of Pastime and Recreation: For Games depending upon mere Lot and Chance. What though Judicious Divines do not all determine them unlawful, yet some do, others, and many conscientious Christians, doubt concerning them; possibly thou dost not; if thou doubtest, thou art bound to forbear them, to take the safer part; but admit thou dost not doubt, yet in places where any considerable number of conscientious Christians doubt, thou art bound to forbear; why should thy Liberty be condemned by other men's Consciences? Why shouldest thou walk covered by the flocks of Christ's Companions? I shall shut up this Discourse with the words of the Apostle, Phil. 4. 8. Finally Brethren, Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Sermon XLIV.

I Have done with the Spouse's Petition, and am come to her Beloved's Answer. In which I have observed three things.

1. A friendly Compellation; O thou fairest amongst Women!

2. A Supposition that she might be ignorant of some things relating to communion with him— If thou knowest not.

3. A Direction in this case: Go thy way by the footsteps of the Flocks, &c. Hence three Propositions are obvious.

Prop. 1. That of all Souls, the truly believing Soul is the most beautiful Soul in the Eyes of Christ.

Prop. 2. That the beauty of this Soul is not perfect. This Soul may be in some things ignorant, and at a loss how to maintain communion with God at sometimes.

Prop. 3. That the surest way for a gracious Soul to get a perfect Instruction in those things which concern its spiritual good, and to keep and enjoy its communion with Christ, is to feed itself by the Tents of his Shepherds, and to live according to the Precepts of his Word, and the Examples of his Church there recorded.

I shall begin with the first.

Prop. 1. That of all Souls, the Believer is the most beautiful Soul in the Eyes of Christ.

I will inquire a little into the Nature of the Believing Soul's Beauty: Then I shall give you some Reasons of it; and lastly, Make some Application.

1. It is not a corporeal visible Beauty, but spiritual and invisible. When we speak of Beauty, we ordinarily understand a symmetry of bodily parts, with a due mixture of the colors of flesh and blood commending itself to the carnal Eye. This is that of which Solomon saith, Favor is deceitful; Beauty is vain, but none I hope will have so gross a conception of the Soul's Beauty in the Eyes of Christ, who seeth not as man seeth, and judgeth not from any outward appearance. The King's Daughter is all glorious within, Psal. 45. 13. This Beauty lieth in the Soul's symmetry to, and with the Divine Law, in a due proportion of virtues and gracious habits in the Soul's conformity to God the pattern of Perfection. The Heathens, by the Light of Nature, could see that the inward Beauty was the true Beauty. It is reported of Diogenes, that meeting with a young man who was exceeding comely, but very vicious, he cried out, O quam bona domus, & malus hospes! What a brave house is here, and how bad an inhabitant it hath! It is what may be said of a great many comely men and women in the world: O what brave houses hath the God of Nature made, but what ill Tenants hath the Devil thrust into them? Within there dwells nothing but Pride, Ignorance, Lust Vanity, and other Inmates of corruption. Our Savior hath fitted them with a name, they are Painted Sepulchers. The Spouse's Beauty is spiritual, her Ornaments are the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible (as the Apostle speaketh,) 1 Pet. 3. 4. And as corporeal Beauty lieth in the due proportion of the parts of the body one to another, yet this alone will not make a Beauty, without a due proportion of colors, and a good Air of the countenance: So this Spiritual Beauty lieth in the proportion of the Soul and its several powers and faculties to the Divine Rule, its Symmetry with the Divine Nature; yet this will not do without the grace of Justification, that grace which doth gratum facere, render the Soul acceptable in the sight of God. Hence this Beauty is not obvious to our senses. The World (saith the Apostle) knoweth us not. It is a Spiritual Beauty, so as flesh and blood discerneth it not; whereas we see things by the Eye of Sense, Reason or Revelation. Corporeal Beauty is discerned by a carnal Eye; the object beareth a due proportion to the Organ: Yea, there is an inward Beauty, which even the Eye of a natural man may discern; it lieth in the proportion which the mind of the man or woman beareth to the Rule of Virtue, and the Principles of Reason. Thus a man may see more Beauty and Loveliness in one that is Learned and knowing, than in one that is ignorant; in one that is just, chaste, sober, temperate, than in a beastly Drunkard, a sottish unclean Adulterer, an unjust and unrighteous man, &c. But the Beauty of a Child of God lieth deeper, and more remote from a carnal man's apprehension, in the Souls Symmetry with the pure, and holy nature of God. the proportions of his Soul to the pattern of a disciple of Christ as his lineaments are drawn in holy Writ. This the natural Eye seeth not, the Spiritual man alone discerneth, nor doth he at all times discern it in ano there, Eli could not see Hannah's beauty, but thought it had been only a little color which too much wine had brought into her face. The Subject of this beauty is the heart, Christ seeth, and knoweth that hence, though a Child of God doth appear fair to his Brother, yet to Christ more fair, even the fairest amongst Women.

2. Secondly, It is not a Native but an adventitious beauty, you (saith the Apostle) hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Eph. 2. 1. Children of wrath by nature even as others, v. 3. By nature there is none righteous, no not one, none that understandeth, nor seeketh after God, the Philosopher spake like a Philosopher when he determined the Soul to be naturally as white Paper or tabula rasa. The Divine must speak otherwise there is in man a want justitiae debitae inesse, a want of that image of God in which lies the Souls beauty; He was created in honor, but he is become like the Beast that perisheth, he hath lost the image of the heavenly, Behold (saith David, Psal. 51.) I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my Mother bring me forth. What can be clean (saith Job) that is born of a Woman? Or how can that which is clean come forth from that which is unclean. The vicious inclinations of Children is matter of demonstration, till they be in some measure corrected, by the precepts and instructions, and government of those that are set over them, and by moral discipline, which yet doth not cultivate and adorn them sufficiently to render them beautiful in the Eyes of Christ.

3. Thirdly, it is not an Artificial but created beauty. The beauty of the Civil person, that either from the precepts or examples of his governors or his ingenuous education, hath imbibed Principles of Moral Discipline is indeed no native beauty, but it is an artificial beauty, as to which God hath had no hand but that of his common Providence, but the Spouse's beauty is a created beauty, wholly God's work in the Soul, creating faith in it, uniting it to Christ, changing its heart, giving it new habits, new qualities, and inclinations. Thou were comely, saith God, Ezech. 16. 14. through my comeliness put upon thee. Corporteal beauty is the work of God in nature, and it is hardly in the power of man to contribute anything towards that. The Painter dissembleth a beauty but giveth no real beauty; the Taylor dissembleth a Symmetry of parts but cannot give it. But Spiritual beauty is much more the gift of God, that is, a Gift of Special grace. Art may make a woman that is not beautiful appear so, but it cannot make one to be beautiful that is not so. Good works do little more to the Saints beauty in the Eyes of Christ then hansome clothes, or linen doth towards the beauty of the body. If the body be comely, and beautiful, hansome fashioned clothes or linen may indeed set it off, but if the body hath no true symmetry of parts, all that good clothes do is to hide deformity, and to make the body that is not comely yet appear so unto others. If the Soul of a man or woman be truly beautiful through an imputed righteousness and inherent grace, good works much set forth this beauty to the world, and are also acceptable unto God. But works only Morally good, that is, such things as God hath commanded, can never make a Spiritual Ethiopian fair, nor the Soul that is naturally crooked, straight. The Romish Tailors, and Painters, labor in vain to make Souls beautiful by prescription of good works, not flowing from a true faith in Jesus Christ; indeed the truly beautiful Soul will maintain good works for necessary uses, and not be seen in any part of the world, or in any station in it, but clothed with them, the Kings Daughter though all glorious within, yet must have her garments also smell of Myrrh, Aloes, and Cassia, but these are not her only beauty in the Eyes of her beloved, she still cries out, O Lord, my righteousness is all as a menstruous cloth, as an unclean thing. I am altogether in myself, as a filthy and unclean thing.

4. The beauty of the Child of God is not only Adherent but also Inherent, Justification is his beauty, this I call adherent, he is in a state of favor with God, & hath a right to be called his Child. Regener at ion is his inherent beauty, and makes not only a change in his state, but in his nature and temper. Justification maketh an alteration in the Souls state, and relation to God, before that it was an enemy, now a Child, it cannot be properly said to be anything inherent in us, rather adherent to us, without it the Soul cannot be comely in the Eyes of Christ; those who in Johns vision were seen clothed in white, were such as were washed in the blood of the lamb. Let the Virtues of men's Souls be never so eminent, their actions never so splendid, yet while they are not justified, they cannot be fair in the Eyes of Christ, who judgeth not according to the outward appearance, but according to the heart. But yet this is not all the Spouse's beauty; In the same moment wherein by justifying the sinner, God maketh a change in his state, he also maketh a change in his heart; this cannot be alone, neither is it causative of the other. Those are wonderfully vain that charge us with asserting, that God can be pleased with an unholy Soul or that any such Soul is fair and lovely in the Eyes of that God, who is of purer Eyes, then that he can behold any iniquity. This is what Protestants do affirm; That God reckoneth the righteousness, or comeliness of Christ unto to the Soul, and so makes us comely, and in the same moment gives his Spirit to it, to renew & sanctify it, and dwell in it, & that both these make up the Spiritual beauty & comeliness, but God doth not accept our Persons upon the latter, but upon the former account; yet we say, This conformity of the heart to the will of God wrought by regeneration, is a great part of the Souls comeliness. Thou hast (saith Christ) ravished my heart, my Sister, my Spouse, thou hast ravished mine heart with one of the Chains about thy neck, Cant. 4. 9. This we also further say, That although this inherent beauty, be not that for which Christ accepteth the Person of a Child of God, yet God is well pleased with it, and it doth much increase God's manifestative love towards a Person, John 14. 21.

5. Fifthly, The beauty of the Child of God is a desirable beauty desirable to God. Indeed all beauty is desirable; this is to God desirable. You must understand it safely. All desire in the creature speaketh some want and indigences, in God it only speaks complacence, Psal. 45. 4. So shall the King desire thy beauty, the meaning is no more then be well pleased with thy Beauty. God is well pleased with their Souls and his will moveth toward them, and the enjoyment of them, not to fill up any vacuity or emptiness in himself, but to fill up their emptinesses with the sulness of himself who filleth all in all. Thus the Schoolmen say truly, That though the creature works, and moves to supply his own indigence, yet God never moveth nor worketh but to communicate his own perfection and fullness.

6. The beauty of the Child of God is a never fading beauty. Corporeal beauty is vain, age, sickness, contagious diseases, many accidents, either greatly abate, or destroy this. This Spiritual beauty, though it may abate, yet shall never sail; It is one of God's gifts to the Soul which are without repentance, It is caused from the seed of God which abideth in the Soul. The appearance of it to the world may abate, but its beauty cannot wholly fail and perish. It is as the air of the Soul resulting from its state of Justification, which altereth not, and from the infused habits of Regeneration which cannot die.

7. Lastly, It is not apersect beauty. The adherent beauty of God's People is perfect, the Soul that is justified from the guilt of one sin is justified from the guilt of all sins. God never forgives in part (if we understand by forgiving, remitting the obligation sin layeth us under to Eternal death.) But the inherent beauty of the Children of God is imperfect, we know in part, and love in part; sincerity is all we can glory in, all our perfection as to that. The habits of grace infused in Regeneration are capable of increase and augmentation, nor will any be perfect in them till he comes to die: No nor then neither, for though the actings of some grace proportioned to our indigent mortal state will then cease (and so in that sense may be said to be perfected) yet Love and delight in God, habits of Grace which we shall carry with us into, and exercise in another world shall be made perfect there. But in the exercises of our habits of grace the best of God's People are much more imperfect, laying many a black parch upon a fair face, which the pure God seeth, and can distinguish from Beauty spots. Though for them he will not cast his people off.

Thus far I have shown you the nature of the Spouses beauty. I shall now show you whence it is, that such a Soul in the Eyes of Christ is the fairest amongst Women. This will appear but reasonable if we consider,

That their beauty is Christ's workmanship. I told you before that it is not an artificial beauty, nor natural, but created and superinduced upon the Soul; The holy Scripture calls man God's Generation, Acts 17. 29. and borroweth the expression from an Heathen Poet, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 they saw that by the light of Nature. The Apostle tells us, Eph. 2. 10. That we are God's workmanship created to good works, which God had before ordained, that we should walk in them, God, had ordained it Christ wrought it. Whatsoever of good a Child of God hath in him it is all from God, he is begotten of God, John 1. 13. We are created by him to good works, and he worketh in us to will and do. Are we justified, and is that any part of our beauty? We are justified by his grace, washed in his blood. Except I wash you (saith Christ) you have no part in me. It is natural to us all to account anything best, and fairest, to which ourselves have contributed anything as a cause. The Father and Mother value their own Child above any others: The man of art takes most delight in his own workmanship. God can do nothing, but what is truly, and highly good, and he cannot but be most pleased in his own work.

2. Secondly, The beauty of the Child of God is Christ's beauty, and lieth in the Souls assimilation, or being made like unto Christ. Is he justified? It is by the imputation of his righteousness. Is he regenerated? It is through his Spirit and by his regeneration, the image of God, and Christ is renewed in him in Knowledge, righteousness and holiness, the like mind is in him that was in Christ. Likeness is the Mother of Love, and all Love floweth from some likeness or conceived likeness in the object beloved. Christ cannot but love that Soul that is made partaker of the Divine nature, & renewed according to his image, & made like unto himself. The believer was predestinated to be conform to the Image of the Son, & by Faith & Regeneration he is made conform, renewed according to the image of God, (according to the Apostles phrase.) If Jacob knew his sons coat again, and the sight of it was enough to set the Fathers bowels on yearning, Christ will doubtless know his own robes, and cannot but account that Soul most beautiful, that is adorned with & dressed in them.

This in the first place may serve to convince us of the truth of what John tells us, 1. John 5. 19. That the whole world lieth in wickedness. For these Souls whom Christ judgeth and calleth the fairest amongst Women: The most lovely and beautiful Souls, are those who in the Eyes of the generality in the world are counted the most unlovely, despicable, and contemptible Persons in nature in so much that Godly men and women may take up the words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4. 9. concerning himself and those of his own order, 1 Cor. 4. 9. We think, that God hath set as forth as it were appointed unto death, for we are made a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake, profane, lewd men they are wise, we are weak, they are strong, they are honorable, we are despised; the People of God, in the present age, in all former ages are they who hunger, and thirst, who are naked and buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place, yet they labor, working with their hands, being reviled they bless, being persecuted they suffer it, being defamed they entreat, yet are they made as the filth of the world, as the off-scouring of all Nations even to this day. Thus it was under the Old Testament, the prophet complained in his time, Isa. 59. 15. That truth failed, and he who departed from evil made himself a prey, but he addeth, and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. It was so under the New Testament; who was more despised, and rejected of men then Christ? Who was more reviled, contemned, abused both in words and deeds then John the Baptist, Christ, and his blessed Apostles, and all the Primitive Christians? Christ foretold his disciples, that the world should hate them, that they should speak of them all manner of Evil, persecute them, turn them out of their Synagogues, &c. It is so in our times, if there be in any places Persons fearing God, and working righteousness, Persons that make a conscience of their ways, that fear an Oath, that durst not drink, and swear, and curse, and blaspheme the living God, as others do, that make conscience of their worshipping God, and are a little more strict and frequent in it then others are. These are the Persons against whom the world spits all their venom, against whom their hands are lifted up, men may meet together to drink, and revel, to hear lewd and profane Songs, and Plays, but not to pray, not to consider and exhort one another to love, and to good works; what is this an Evidence of but that the world lieth in wickedness? Christ judgeth pious Souls, the fairest Souls, these are they sor whom he died. Whom he calls his Sister, his Spouse, the fairest Souls in the creation; these are those Souls, whom the World sets up as marks to shoot all their envenomed arrows, bitter words against, to offer all affronts, and indignities unto. Shall not the Lord visit for these things? Shall he not be avenged on such a generation? Shall a gallant in the World, draw his Sword upon the man that affronts his Paramour, or Mistress, a wanton Woman that he hath espoused, or to whom his heart cleaveth, and shall the Lord bear these affronts, these injuries offered to Souls that are more precious in the Eyes of their Lord then all the world is beside? Hear what the Lord said by his prophet as to that ancient People of his, Isa. 43. 2, 3. I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Israel, thy Savior, I gave Egypt for thy ransom: Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wert precious in my sight thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee, therefore will I give men for thee, and People for thy life. Was this spoken for the Jews only think we, or did this concern the profane part of the Jews, or those only that feared the Lord, walked in his commandments, and worshiped him in Spirit and in truth? That it was not to be understood with reference to or upon the account of the lewd, and profane part of the Jewish Nation is evident, by God's declared detestation of them by the same prophet, and by others of his Prophets. If it were spoken with reference to such as feared God, and walked in his commandments, and kept close to the rule of Worship which he had given them, it holds good still to all Souls that fall under that Character. They are precious in God's fight, honorable, he hath loved them, the holy one of Israel is their Savior, and the worlds hatred of them, profane men's reviling, contemning, abusing them, is but a continued Evidence, that the world knoweth them not, and speaketh evil of, and doth evil to things and Persons they know not: Or that it lieth in wickedness, in a vile and wicked Error of judgment, judging those vile, and base, whom God judgeth precious and honorable, and those worthy of hatred, whom he loveth, & though the Lord may for a time suffer his good & righteous Servants to be thus reviled, thus treated, thus abused, by lewd and ungodly men, for the trial of their faith, and for the exercise of their patience, and that some of the blood of his Saints may be poured into the cup of wicked men's sins, that the cup of their iniquities may be full, and they may fill up their measures of sinning, That upon them may come all the righteous blood of his People, which hath been shed, yet be assured, the Lord will not suffer it always, but awake as one out of sleep, & plead the cause of his People, and give Egypt for their ransom and Ethiopia and Seba, and they will find at last, that God will give men for them, and People for their lives. Possibly some will say to us, but how shall we know these whom Christ calls the fairest amongst women, if we knew them, we should give a a due respect to them. It is true the Apostle saith, The world knoweth us not. Nor can they perfectly know them, for the Kings Daughter is glorious within, saith the Psalmist. But yet our Savior tells you, Math. 7. 16. By their fruits you shall know them, do men gather grapes of Thorns; or Figs of Thistles? even so every good tree, bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Will you know what is good fruit? see Gal. 5. 22. The fruit of the Spirit, is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against these there is no law; No law of God. Add to this, Phil. 3. 3. We are the circumcision, which Worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Jesus Christ, and have no confidence in the flesh; these are the true Jews, that are such inwardly, in the heart, and in the Spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God. See you therefore any man, or woman, or any party of men and women in the World, who disclaiming any confidence in the flesh, any privileges of birth, or Church-state, or the merits of any works they have done, or can do, place their hope for Salvation in Jesus Christ alone, trust in him, rejoice in him and Worship God in the Spirit, (though it may be not with those external rites, and Ceremonies that you do, nor under the same circumstances, yet) heartily Worship God, according to the rules which God hath given them, that Love God, and have a love to all men, though more especially to those that fear God, and desire to live in Peace (as much as in them lies) with all men, that are gentle and meek, not giving way to rude, and boisterous Passions, that are good in their behaviours, temperate, no drunkards, no unclean Persons, but squaring their lives by the rule of reason, because it is also the law of God. Let me tell you, that against these there is no law. No law of God, which is the regula regulans the rule by which all the rules, and laws of men must be guided, or they are nullities and no rules at all. These are those whom that God, whom you own as your Creator, and the great Lord of Heaven and Earth, that Christ, whom you call your Redeemer, your Savior, and who most certainly shall be your Judge, and give unto you at the last according to what you have done in the flesh, calls the fairest amongst women, the most beautiful and lovely Souls in the whole creation, judge you, whether you ought not so also to call, so to account them, so to deal with them. These are the best men and women in your Cities, Parishes, &c. Take • reed of using hard Speeches concerning them, God will for them execute Judgment as well as for ungodly deeds, much more take heed of any hard actions against them; he that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of God's Eye, Zech. 2. 8. Deut. 32. 10. They have prayed with David, Psal. 17. 8. Keep me as the apple of thine Eye. God hath said concerning them, Zech. 2. 8. He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his Eye. Be wise now therefore O ye Princes, be instructed, O you men of the Earth, whether great or small, be assured Christ will revenge his Spouses quarrels, even the quarrels of all those whom he judgeth the fairest amongst women. Let none think to cover their malice against Religion, and Godliness, under pretences of executing human Laws; the Apostle saith against such is no law, no law that will be justified by the law of God, no law that will justify either the lawgivers in making it, or the Executors in execution of it, 1 Tim 1. 9. The law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless, and disobedient, for the ungodly, and for sinners, for unholy, and profane, for Murderers of Fathers, and Murderers of Mothers, for Whoremongers, for those who defile themselves with mankind, for Man-Stealers, for Liars, for perjured Persons, and other things contrary to sound Doctrine. The law [that is, the law of God] [is not made for them] that is, to punish, afflict, torment them, it is made for them to live according to the rule of it. It is made to protect them. For rulers are not a terror to good works but the evil, Rom. 13. 3. And all Magistrates ought to be Ministers of God to Christians for good, Rom. 13. 4. Now all human laws must be either in affirmance of the law of God, and to force that, or in civil things left to their power, as they shall judge to be most for the public Peace, or necessary to uphold Nations, and Polities. O therefore take heed what you do, lest you be found fighters against God. Much less let any think to cover their malice with pretences, that the Persons they run upon with such a rage are hypocrites. Hypocrisy can be but in the heart when there is no contradiction in the conversation, that man is no judge of. But is it not possible to reconcile (at least) some part of the men of the World to those to whom the Lord Jesus Christ hath given such a Character? Is he not a better Judge then men are? Will you make yourselves believe for a cloak for your rage) that these men are not what they pretend to be? I would ask you but one question, are they not more righteous then you? Are they not more in reading the Word, Hearing, Prayer, Fasting, and are not these things duties commanded in that Word, which you own to be your rule, and to be holy, just and good? are they not stricter in the observation of Sabbaths? (Which is so great a piece of Religion that the Prophet expresseth a great part of it, under that notion, Isa. 56. 4, 6.) Into their hearts you cannot look, but their Words are audible, do not they fear an Oath more? Do they swear and curse, and Blaspheme like you or many others? do they exceed Heathens, Dii omnes deae{que} te perdant; by their Dammees, do they rail and revile, and lie like other men? Do they drink, and whore, steal and murder, gripe and oppress? is not the contrary to this the beauty of a Soul in the Eye of human reason? You have therefore no reason to judge them none of those whom Christ calls the fairest amongst women, you must own they are fairer then you, or any of your converse, and stamp. You must find some in the World that are better then yourselves, or they must be the most comely and beautiful Souls. Sirs I beseech you consider, how much it becometh a man as a man to judge according to truth? And what can be a better standard then the judgment of Christ. O let not the People of God be vile in your Eyes who are so highly esteemed by him who is your Lord and Master, and by whom you pretend to hope to be saved. But to shut up this discourse; You that will not conform your judgment to the Judgment of Christ concerning such People, and behave yourselves towards them accordingly, shall certainly be forced to submit to his Judgment spoken of, Jude 14. and 15.

2d Branch. I would willingly improve this notion a little further, not only to reconcile, your judgments to the judgment of Christ concerning the People of God, but to reconcile you also to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to the ways of God, The effecting of the former, (if I could do it) though it might produce some more quiet and peace in the World and reduce men to the rule of reason, yet as to your own Souls (if that be all) all the effect it would have would be to save you from a deeper place in Hell. It is not a good opinion of God's People, or a peaceable or kind behavior to them, will bring any man to Heaven. I could wish that all who hear me this day (to use Saint Paul's words to Agrippa) were as the People of God are, (excepting that reproach and obloquy which they suffer, those bonds, and imprisonments to which they are exposed) that they also would come into the number of those whom the Lord judgeth the best Souls in the World, the fairest amongst women.

1. Is it nothing to you to come into this reputation? Leud, profane, debauched Persons, let their quality in the World be what it will, in Scripture come under the notions of Children of Belial, Vain Persons. What an object of desire doth corporeal beauty appear to the World? What will not a vain woman do to get it, to preserve it, to dissemble it, what time, what money she spends to set it out? What care she takes, if as to it she be under any defects, to hide them, to correct them, &c. Quantum est in rebus inane? All this it may be is spent in painting a Sepulcher, a rotten post. Possibly look into this Masquerade, there's nothing but what is rational filthiness, and deformity. An understanding void of any valuable knowledge. A Perverse and stubborn will against what is rationally good, beastly affections, her Soul it may be is full of lasciviousness, Pride, Malice, Envy: All unlovely things, Turbulent Passions. Is Spiritual beauty worth nothing? Shall Heathens judge a Soul that is knowing, subdued to the rule of reason, chaste, good, just, sober, meek, modest, beautiful, and worth a thousand Souls otherwise disposed, and qualified; and shall Christians judge otherwise? shall they think Soul-beauty not valuable? Or shall they not judge it worth anything, to be comely with Christ's comeliness, and in the Eyes of an all seeing, heart searching God, to be without spot or wrinkle; consider Sirs, how much this is beneath the name or profession of Christians, how we are condemned by wanton gallants desiring corporeal beauty, and Heathens, valuing the rational beauty of the mind which commends itself to all rational minds before they be debauched.

2. Consider what it is to have the King of Kings to desire, and to predicate our beauty, Psal. 45. 11. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty. The King, this King is God whose throne is forever, and ever, and whose Scepter is a righteous Scepter, v. 6. Beauty is in itself attractive but who is there that will not covet a beauty, that a King should desire? But what are all the Kings of the Earth, compared with him who is the King of glory? So shall the King (saith the Psalmist desire thy beauty: How great a thing is this for the great God to have a desire to the Sons of men and a delight in them? And further for this King to predicate our beauty, as the Lord doth in the Text, and did concerning Job, Job 2. v. 3. And the Lord said unto Satan, hast thou considered my Servant Job, that there is none like him in all the Earth, a perfect, and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil, and still he holdeth fast his integrity, though thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause. For this great King to desire a Souls beauty, signifieth to be the Spouse of Christ, to be in favor with God in this life, and it promiseth an eternal communion with God in glory, in the life which is to come, when the Marriage of the Lamb shall be consummate, and the Bride the Lambs Wife, shall follow him wheresoever he goes.

3. Lastly consider, The consequent of not being of the number of those, whom Christ here calleth the fairest amongst Women. Amongst men their is a medium betwixt men's looking upon a woman as the fairest, and such a one whose beauty they desire; and being abominable, and odious in their Eyes. But as to Christ there is no medium betwixt these two. The unbelieving and the abominable are put together, Rev. 21. 8. A man may not love a woman so well as to make her his Wife, and yet have a kindness for her, not hate, and abhor her. The case is not so betwixt God, and the Soul. He or she whose beauty the Lord doth not desire, is by God hated and abhorred, that Soul is abominable in his fight. The abominable, Rev. 21. 8. shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the Second death. These arguments are enough to those who believe there is an Heaven, and an Hell, who believe there is a God, and a Christ and that all mankind are under the favor, or disfavour of this great and terrible God. To persuade them to get into the number of these whom God judgeth the fairest amongst women. Will any say to me but what can we contribute towards it? Love is a free thing. It is true Love is free, and the Love of none amongst the creatures is or can be so free as the Love of God who is the freest Agent; but yet hearken to the direction of the Psalmist who doubtless is an infallible guide in this matter, Psal. 45. v. 10. Hearken O Daughter, and consider, and incline thine Ear: forget also thine own People and thy Fathers house. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty. What is our Fathers house, but the house of old Adam? What are our own People, but our own sinful courses? our old sinful company? How shall we forget them but by hearkening to the Counsels of God, considering our state and condition what we are? Whither we are hastening, what will become of us in the latter end? Giving and inclining our Ears, to what? To the reproofs, corrections, admonitions, instructions, of God's Word, to the knockings and motions of his blessed Spirit, so shall the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lord's, desire and greatly desire your beauty. To those who what ever they are called, and go for in the World, are Atheists in heart, and believe nothing which the Scripture saith of Heaven, or Hell, and a World to come, nothing of God, or Christ, nothing that I or any other can say will be enough God, must persuade Japheth to come & dwell in the tents of Sem.

3d Branch. I shall shut up this discourse with two or three Words of Exhortation to such as this blessed Bridegroom dignifieth with this honorable compellation of the fairest amongst women.

1. First let every such Soul be in some measure reconciled to itself. There is a great difference betwixt Christ's apprehension of many a pious Soul, and its own apprehension of itself. There is none so high in the Eyes of Christ, none oft times so low in its own Eyes, as the believing Soul is. Paul calls himself the greatest of sinners, and the least of Saints. David calls himself a worm, and no man, Psal. 22. Yea and I shall by and by show you that low and mean apprehensions of ourselves are a great part of our duty, much of our beauty. Yet there may be an extreme in these apprehensions. If these apprehensions hinder our faith in Christ, our cheerful and comfortable walking before God, our cheerful looking up to God and calling him Father, and coming with boldness to the throne of grace, they are so far from a Christians duty, that they are his sinful failings. It is too ordinary amongst Christians, to take so much shame to themselves that they know not how to give glory to God, the glory of their being what they are (to use Saint Paul's phrase.) Thou hast Christian, many failings and infirmities, thou seest much naughtiness, and corruption in thine heart. What then? though thou beest not the fairest amongst the glorious Angels and glorified Saints; Yet thou mayest be one of the fairest amongst women, the glorified Saints have no spot, in their garments, no ill lineaments in their faces, thou hast some, but so have all that are on this side of the blessed mansions. Thy spots may be no more then the spots of God's Children and if they be not thou mayest be one of the fairest amongst women.

2. Let every believing Soul learn hence to be humble. That they are the fairest, some of the fairest amongst Souls yet on this side Heaven, this indeed is matter of glorying, and rejoicing. But then to consider, that this is not their native complexion, but an adventitious beauty, that it is not an artificial but a created beauty. This though it doth not take away all glorying, all boasting from them, yet it rest ••• ineth them in their boasting and glorying to make their boast, and to glory only in the Lord, if they look to the rock out of which they were hewed, to the hole of the Pit from which they were digged, they will find they derived not their beauty from thence, they were in the quarry as unlovely rude stones as any others; it is the Lord that hath hewed them out, that hath polished them and of grace hath superinduced that beauty upon them wherein they glory, and if they have received their beauty they have no reason to glory as if they had not received it. I say he that considereth this, and that now at the best he is not without spots, his beauty is not perfect, at least that part of his beauty which is inherent in him is not perfect, this will show a thinking. Christian eternal cause to walk softly towards men, and humbly as well as thankfully toward God. Grace leaves no room for, giveth no advantage unto pride; hence though a believer most excelleth all other Souls, yet he ordinarily least excelleth them in his own apprehensions.

3. Let this engage every believer to high admiring thoughts of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ in this Text calls his Spouse the fairest amongst women; you will find she requiteth him, Chap. 5. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest amongst ten thousand. And certainly we have all the reason imaginable constraining us to this admiration of Christ, we were by birth Ethiopians, Our Father was a Syrian, consider us in ourselves, as separate from Christ's comeliness put upon us. We are altogether black, he is all glory, all beauty, altogether desires (as the Spouse expresseth it) Christ is to be admired of all them that believe, we should never think of Christ, but with admiring thoughts, never solemnly discourse of him but in forms of admiration. If Christ can see so much beauty in us who are poor creatures, poor worms of the Earth, who have no beauty but what he hath put upon us, and into us, certainly we must be very blind if we can see no beauty, no loveliness, nothing to be desired in him, who is the bright Image of his Fathers glory, and the express Image of his Person, whom all the Angels, adore, and admire, and in whom the Soul of the everlasting Father resteth, and is well pleased, and who is his great delight.

4. Lastly, Hath Christ styled the believing Soul the fairest amongst women? How do all such Souls stand concerned to preserve their beauty? Your beauty is your holiness, the favor of God, your acceptableness to him and his love towards you. The state of Justification indeed cannot be lost, the seed of God doth, and shall abide in the Soul. But yet your luster may be lost, his manifestative love to you may be withdrawn, your honor in the World may be lost. You may walk like one covered, besides the flocks of those who are the companions of Christ. Is the vain woman so curiously careful to preserve her beauty, that she will spare any time, any money for it? will she avoid anything that may be a stain in it? How shall she rise up in Judgment against the loose careless, and negligent Christian, that doth not through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, that doth not wash himself continually in the tears of repentance and beg the daily imputation of Christ's righteousness to cover his new appearing nakedness? That in his converse with the World, doth not set a strict watch over his heart, at the doors of his lips upon all his converse with men, left he should receive any impression from the dirty World, in which he lives, which may be a blot upon his beauty, in the Eyes of an holy God or in the Eyes of holy men. But I have spoken enough to this Proposition raised from the compellation, O thou fairest amongst women.

Sermon XLV.

MY business in my last exercise was to show you the nature of her beauty, whom the blessed lover here calls the fairest amongst Women. I shall at this time show you a Spot in her beauty from the Supposition in the Text, If thou knowest not. It is true that Suppositions neither in holy Writ, nor in our Idiom, do not always contain positions of undoubted truth. Sometimes things that are impossible, or absurd, and false, are supposed in order to the forming of a true conclusion. But in the Text it is certain that it doth. Our Lord in saying If thou knowest not, Supposeth, that the Spouse might not know, and therefore he directeth her in the latter part of the Text. It is certain, that the term know in Scripture doth not always signify the comprehending the thing spoken of in our understanding, it sometimes signifieth to approve, sometimes, to attend to what we know, sometimes to Experience. I take here the first and most natural signification of the term to be the Sense. If If thou knowest not, that is, if thou beest ignorant. If thou beest at a loss. At a loss for what? I told you that to perfect the Sense we must supply something from the foregoing verse from the matter of the Spouses Petition. She had desired him to tell her where he fed his flock, where he made them to rest at noon. Where she might have the best, freest, and least interrupted fellowship and communion with him, especially in a time of great distress, and affliction. To this he answereth, O thou fairest amongst Women? If thou knowest not (that is) if thou knowest not where I feed my flocks, nor where I make them to rest at noon. Go thy way, &c. The words might lead me to a more general discourse of the imperfection of a believers state in this life, Or to a more particular discourse concerning those grains of ignorance which may be allowed a gracious Soul. But as the first is too general, so the latter is too hard a task until the world, be better agreed then it yet is, about the number of fundamental truths, necessary to be known, and believed in order to Eternal life, and Salvation. Besides I think my Text considered as an answer to the preceding petition, guides me to another thing. The Spouses request was, to be instructed how she might enjoy, a full and free communion with her Lord especially in a time of trial and distress with reference to this petition; her Lord answereth her, If thou knowest not; Supposing she might as to this at sometimes be ignorant, and at a loss; The Proposition is plain:

Prop. That even the best of God's People (the fairest amongst Women) may sometimes be at a great loss where, and how to maintain their desired communion with Christ.

I shall open the Proposition in three conclusions. Then confirm and apply it.

1. The Souls communion with Christ lies in their reciprocal communications of themselves each to other. All communion is made up of a mutual communication of two or more Persons. I have discoursed the nature of communion largely in some of my former discourses and therefore shall say little of it now. Only I say all communion lies in a mutual and reciprocal communication. Thus two friends have communion each with other by frequent meetings together, mutual discourses, and communications of the Secrets of each others hearts, one to another. The Subjects in this communion are Souls clothed with bodies, and their communion is bodily. But now the Soul considered with Christ, as its correlate in this communion, are