Rejoicing in the Lord Jesus in All Cases and Conditions, Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
Habakkuk 3.18.
Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my Salvation.
THe Propoſition is this,
Doct. That there is enough in Chriſt Jeſus alone, for the Souls full rejoycing and triumph, whatſoever his condition and exigency is in this world.
This we have cleared to you, and are now upon clearing up of the Souls ſtate, that he may know whether he hath intereſt in this full Jeſus: We have already given you five particulars that may be as ſo many evidences of a Chriſtians intereſt in Chriſt, and ſhall now proceed.
Sixthly, In the ſixth place, The Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt, is under an over-ruling influence from Chriſt that ſecures the habitual inclinations of his Soul for Chriſt againſt all contrary invitations and drawings. Particular acts are not a ſufficient concluſive ground of our ſtate one way or another: A Soul that hath no intereſt in Chriſt, may ſeem choice and ſingular in ſome actions and there may be a ſeeming lovely deſirable ſanctity upon him, and a Soul that is really intereſted in Chriſt, may by the power of a temptation be drawn into ſome unbecoming acts; ſo as particular acts are no ſufficient ground of an intereſt: and if you judge by them, you may eaſily be deceived, but he that is really united to Chriſt, is under a divine influence from Chriſt, that ſecures the habitual inclinations of his heart for him, that ſo the blaſs of his heart is towards Chriſt, and the full purpoſe of the Soul in its ſecret breathings and inclinings are after the Lord Jeſus alone. It may be when the temptation comes, he may be almoſt ſtaggered, but yet his heart ſtands right for Chriſt in the main, in whom he is intereſted, and though temptations may have a great power upon him, yet the biaſs of his heart will winde through all temptations unto Chriſt alone; thus it was with Paul; there were contrary drawings in the heart of Paul, and the temptations that he met withal from the remains of indwelling ſin were very great, yet his heart under all ſtood right, and the habitual inclinations of his heart were for, and towards Chriſt Jeſus, and this was the Characteriſtical note of his in-being in Chriſt, Romans 7.15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. You may ſee it at large, For that which I do, ſaies he, I allow not, for what I would do I do not, but what I hate, that do I: if then I do that which I would not, I conſent unto the law that it is good, &c. The old man it was riſing and rebelling in him, and did improve all its ſtrength, and its whole intereſt in his heart to draw him aſide; now, ſaies he, at this time when I was under thoſe ſhakings, then my heart was in the way of Chriſt, and I conſented unto the law that it was good, that which I did not, was that which I would do. And though I found a law in my Members that was warring againſt the law of my mind, yet ſaies he, I delight in the law of God after the inward man, there is my delight, the inclinations, the habitual inclinations of my Soul were not changed nor turned, but the ſecret workings and breathings of my Soul are towards the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And thus it was with David: David had many temptations, and rubs in his way, that had like to have turned him out of the way, but yet ſaies he, Pſal. 119.20. My Soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times, and Pſal, 42.1, 2. As the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks, ſo panteth my Soul after thee O God. My Soul thirſteth for God, for the living God, when ſhall I come and appear before him? And ſaies the Prophet, Iſaiah 26.9. With my Soul have I deſired thee in the night, yea, with my Spirit within me will I ſeek thee early; the night ſeaſon was a dark time, and it is probable his Spirit was very much endangered at that time by temptation, dark times are times of temptation, and his Soul at that time was almoſt overwhelmed in the conflicts of his Spirit, with the diviſions of his heart in the night ſeaſon. Now ſaies he, when it was thus darkneſs about me, temptation aroſe upon me, with my Soul, ſaies he, have I deſired thee. Then did my heart ſtand clear for Chriſt, though I could not diſcover my ſelf as I would: Now Chriſtians, if you would make a judgment of your own ſtate; do you fix your eye upon your hearts, and conſider how they ſtand, and ſecretly obſerve the habitual inclinations of your hearts, do you, as the expreſſion is, Acts 11.23. Cleave unto the Lord with full purpoſe of heart? Thoſe that are intereſted in Chriſt, do with purpoſe of heart cleave unto the Lord. There is not only ſome good thoughts riſe in their hearts now and then, they have not only ſome ſcant deſires after Chriſt, or ſome ſudden motions upon their Spirits towards him, but the bent of their heart is towards Chriſt at all times, the breathings and longings of the heart is after Chriſt. Now thoſe that are under ſuch an influence from above, as to ſecure the habitual inclinations of their Souls for Chriſt againſt all contrary invitations and drawings; theſe are ſuch as have indeed an intereſt in Chriſt, and this is the influence of the intereſt on Chriſts part upon your Souls?
Seventhly, A Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt is ſo concerned in the concerns of Chriſt, as diſhonours unto, and diſhonourable reflections upon the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, bear hard upon his Spirit: My Brethren, the Souls intereſt in Chriſt is a oneing intereſt, an intereſt that makes you one with Chriſt, and the Soul will be a ſharer and partner with Chriſt in all his diſhonours, in all his griefs, and in all his afflictions, Jeſus Chriſt ſpeaks ſometimes of being wounded, and of being grieved, and of being offended. Now the Soul that is really intereſted in Chriſt, is offended where Chriſt is offended. The Soul that is really intereſted in Chriſt, will grieve over, & for whatſoever doth grieve Chriſt, either in himſelf or others, he will be wounded with that which doth wound Chriſt, and will mourn over that which is an occaſion or matter of mourning unto Chriſt, and doth bear heavily upon his Spirit, that which doth reflect diſhonour upon the name and glory of the Lord Jeſus. I remember what was ſpoken of our Lord Jeſus in reference unto his Father, and the concerns that he was oned in, Pſal. 69.9. For the zeal of thine Houſe hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me, both theſe paſſages are applied unto Chriſt Jeſus in the New Teſtament, John 2.16, 17. there you may ſee the firſt paſſage applyed unto him, And his diſciples remembred that it was written, the zeal of thine Houſe hath eaten me up: Jeſus Chriſt you know came into the Temple that was his Fathers Houſe of Worſhip, and there he ſaw his Father diſhonoured, there he ſaw his Fathers Worſhip corrupted and adulterated, and defiled, and he ſaw there great reflections upon his Fathers glory, and he was even eaten up with it: his holy zeal and paſſion for his Fathers glory that he was concern'd in, did carry him out even beyond himſelf to make him diſregard and neglect himſelf; The zeal of thine Houſe hath eaten me up. And ſaies he, the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. This you have applied to Chriſt, Rom. 15.3. For even Chriſt pleaſed not himſelf, but as it is written, the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen on me. Jeſus Chriſt he took up ſin, and he bore that ſin upon himſelf, that was a diſhonour unto his Father, and that was a wound unto his Father, and that his Father ſaid he was loaden and preſſed with, as a Cart is preſſed with Sheaves; he took up this diſhonour and reproach, and bore it upon himſelf, he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he was afflicted and chaſtened for our ſins, the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me; Chriſt he came, and he mourned over ſin, and he expreſſed the ſorrow of his heart, for that whereby his Father was diſhonoured; now the Soul that is really intereſted in Chriſt is ſo oned with Chriſt, as he hath fellowſhip with him in his diſhonour; and in his reproaches, and in all his ſufferings, he is a partner with Chriſt in his griefs, he is a griever with Chriſt, and a mourner with Chriſt, and a complainer with Chriſt; if there be any thing in his heart, or waies, that do offend Chriſt, he is offended and diſturbed with this as ſoon as he eſpies it, and he cannot bear it, becauſe it offends the Lord Jeſus, that he is oned with: and this is that that makes true Chriſtians walk up and down with ſuch ſad hearts; what is the matter? Why, there is ſomething that they have eſpied in their hearts, that is offenſive to Chriſt, and they cannot bear it, and know not how to get rid of it, and there is ſomething in their walk and converſation that doth reflect upon the honour of the Lord Jeſus, and their Souls are wounded with it. And as to the ſins of others, that which is a reflection upon the name, upon the honour and glory of Chriſt lyes hard upon their Spirits; ſaies David, Pſal. 119.136. Rivers of water run down mine Eyes, becauſe they keep not thy law; and Jeremiah 9.1.2, 3. See how the Prophet complains of that which the Lord doth make a complaint of: They proceed from evil to evil, ſaith the Lord; and O ſaies he, that my Head were Waters, and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I might weep for this. Hence the Saints are called Mourners in Zion, and we read of thoſe that mourned in the midſt of the Lords People, they mourned ſometimes for their own ſins, as diſhonouring Chriſt Jeſus. Thus did Peter when he had diſpleaſed the Lord, and was ſenſible of it, he goes out and weeps bitterly. And ſometimes they weep for the ſins of others, that they ſee the Lord is ſo much diſhonoured, and offended by the lives and converſations of Saints. Now by this make a judgment of your ſelves (Chriſtians) and bring your hearts to this touchſtone; if that you ſtand at a diſtance from the concerns of the honour of Chriſt Jeſus in the world; and you look upon the eoncerns of his glory as Alien, that you are not concerned in; and the diſhonours of Chriſt you are not touched with them, they make no impreſſion upon your Spirits, truly this ſpeaks very ſadly: But now on the other hand, if that you find your Spirits in fellowſhip with Chriſt, in all his diſhonours, if you find that whatſoever doth diſturb, diſpleaſe, and grieve the Lord, is a weight upon your Spirits, and that becauſe it is a weight upon the heart of Chriſt Jeſus, this is ſome evidence that you are intereſted in, and united unto the Lord Jeſus.
Eightly, Again, The Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt is reſtleſs in all purſuits after Chriſt, until it can compaſs ſomething of him: Chriſt is the center of the heart, and he cannot reſt out of Chriſt, neither can he be long ſatisfied without him, but is continually preſſing after a ſight of, and fellowſhip and communion with the Lord Jeſus, his heart being as it were ſwallowed up with him; lead him unto other things, and they won't ſatisfy him out of Chriſt; lead him unto ordinances, this won't do, if Chriſt be not there; advance him unto all Goſpel priviledges that give him a name and renown amongſt Saints, this won't ſatisfy him if he hath not Chriſt Jeſus there. Thus it was with the Spouſe, ſhe had loſt her ſight of Chriſt, and now ſhe had her ordinances ſtill, and her priviledges ſtill, yet this would not ſatisfy her, but ſhe goes from ordinance to ordinance, and from priviledge to priviledge, to ſeek after Chriſt, O ſaw ye him whom my Soul loveth? And truly I may ſay of ſuch a heart as is intereſted in Chriſt, as Abſolom ſpake in another caſe, when he was well provided for, and had royal Princely accommodations; O! ſays he, what is all this to me if I may not ſee the King's face? 2 Sam. 14.32. So, whatſoever, be the outward accommodations that a Soul hath that is intereſted in Chriſt, ſtill he will be ſaying, O! what is all this if I have not Chriſt? he will be reſtleſs in his purſuit after Chriſt, until he can compaſs ſomething of him. Now Chriſtians, examine your hearts by this; if that you can ſit down with ſomething ſhort of Chriſt; if that you can come to an Ordinance, and have no communion with Chriſt in the Ordinance, and yet are well ſatisfied; if that you can take up your reſt in the priviledges of the Goſpel, without the Lord Chriſt himſelf, it is a very ſhroud ſign that you are not yet intereſted in him; but if no Ordinance will pleaſe you, where Chriſt is not, no enjoyment will ſatisfie you if Chriſt be away; that your eye is upon Chriſt in and through all enjoyments, as the only reſt and center of your Souls, this is a good ſign of Intereſt.
Ninthly, In the ninth place, The Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt, makes his preparations, and his reformations in his heart, which Chriſt principally reſpects. He that is united unto Chriſt, looks chiefly a the heart, which Chriſt looks chiefly upon, and his great care is to have his heart ſwept, cleanſed, purified, ſanctified, fitted and furniſhed for the Majeſty of Chriſt Jeſus: And heart-diſturbances, and heart-diſorders, are matters of great grief unto him, becauſe he knows that thereby Chriſt is diſpleaſed. Jeſus Chriſt takes up his abode with the Soul that is united to him. Now Chriſt's reſidence is in the heart, and the Soul that is united to Chriſt, will principally look to prepare that Room where Chriſt's reſidence is to be; he will be in the uſe of all means to bring his heart into ſome Goſpel decency for the entertainment of the Lord Jeſus; and all that comes from him, it comes from the heart. The profeſſion that he makes of Chriſt, it is a heart-rooted profeſſion, and the change of his life it ſprings from the change of his heart, and the holineſs and ſanctity that he diſcovers and manifeſts, is holineſs from the heart. Now Chriſtians, examine your own hearts by this particular alſo; ſome preparations you make, ſome reformations you are able to ſhew, but are your preparations only life and converſation preparations? are they not heart preparations too? Or is your reformation only a life reformation, and not a heart reformation? They they that are not intereſted in Chriſt, they may prepare and reform; but they will look only to the waſhing of the outſide of the Cup, and the adorning of the outward man, not the inward man; but now if your greateſt care be upon your hearts, and your utmoſt diligence is to have them thorowly reformed, and to have them under a heavenly diſpoſe for Chriſt, to make proviſion there, and to be fitted in the inward man for communion with the Lord Jeſus; and in all your reformings you firſt begin there, and carry on outwardly as you are able to ſucceed inwardly; This is an evidence of an Intereſt in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Tenthly, Again; The Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt, lives not upon himſelf, nor upon his own actings, but upon Chriſt unto whom he is joyned. The Soul that is brought into union with the Lord Jeſus, he makes the Lord Jeſus his all, and he leans upon him, and ſtays upon him, and not upon any thing ſhort of him: Jeſus is full, and he lives upon the fulneſs of Jeſus; he comes hungry, and empty, and naked, unto Jeſus, to be ſatisfied, and to be clothed; he ſtays himſelf upon the merits of Chriſt, and he confides in the faithfulneſs of Chriſt; and he leans upon the power of Chriſt, and he acts by the ſtrength of Chriſt; he lives in all his whole Chriſtian courſe upon Chriſt. Says the Spouſe, Cant. 2.3. As the Apple tree among the trees of the wood, ſo is my Beloved among the Sons. I ſate down under his ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit was ſweet to my taſt. Here Chriſt was the Spouſe's all; ſhe got under his ſhade, and there ſhe reſted; and ſhe fed upon Chriſt, and lived upon Chriſt; His fruit was ſweet unto my taſt. The true Believer cannot ſtay upon any righteouſneſs but upon Chriſt's righteouſneſs, in whom he is intereſted; as you may ſee, Phil. 3.8, 9. Yea doubtleſs I count all things but loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, for whom I have ſuffered the loſs of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Chriſt, and be found in him, not having my own righteouſneſs which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Chriſt, &c. Now Chriſtians, examine your own hearts by this alſo; What is it that you live upon? Is it upon Chriſt? or, Is it upon your ſelves? If you can ſatisfie your ſelves with a righteouſneſs ſhort of Chriſt's, that is, a righteouſneſs of your own, it is a ſign you are not yet intereſted in him; if you do not go wholly out of your ſelves, to make loſs of all for Chriſt, it is a fign you are not yet intereſted in him; if you act by your own ſtrength, and do not look up to Chriſt for ſtrength, it is a ſign you are your own men, that you are not yet in Chriſt; and if your greateſt care be not to pleaſe Chriſt, it is a ſign you are not yet in Chriſt; but thoſe that are in Chriſt, they live upon Chriſt, they do not live upon duties, they do not feed upon bare Ordinances, but they feed upon Chriſt Jeſus, and they truſt only to his righteouſneſs, and they eye his merits, and conſider his faithfulneſs, and act Faith upon his Offices; they truſt in him, and they have reference to Chriſt at all times.
Eleventhly, Again; The Souls that are intereſted in Chriſt, will with boundleſs deſires be alwaies preſſing after Chriſt, and never think they have enough of him: Not only will they be reſtleſs in their purſuits after Chriſt, till they can compaſs ſomething of him; but there are boundleſs deſires in them after Chriſt, and after more of Chriſt; a little of Chriſt will not ſatisfie a ſoul that is intereſted in him; but though he have a little of Chriſt, he will ſtill bepreſſing after more, & think all that he hath received is but little; he muſt have more of him, more communion with him; and he muſt be brought into a higher conformity to him; he cannot reſt with a little of Chriſt, his deſires will be boundleſs, that he will alwaies in his participation of Chriſt be ſtill looking forward, preſſing after perfection, and reaching and deſigning to apprehend as he is apprehended. A Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt, hath alwaies a riſing, reaching deſire in him after Chriſt. This you may ſee, Phil. 3.12, 13, 14. Not as though (ſays he) I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, &c. I preſs towards the mark for the prize of the high Calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus. What an enlarged heart had this man Paul? he was come to a very high pitch in Chriſt Jeſus, to make loſs of all for him, and to glory in him, and in his righteouſneſs; and yet Brethren, ſays he, I I count not my ſelf to have apprehended. O! ſays he, What have I yet of Chriſt? What have I received yet of the Spirit of Chriſt? O how unlike am I yet unto Chriſt! how unſuitable is my heart yet unto Chriſt! how little of Chriſt is yet in my heart! Brethren, I count not my ſelf to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, I am reaching forward, ſays he. The Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt will have noble, genuine workings of heart ſuitable to his inbeing in Chriſt; he will alwaies be deſirous of him, and preſſing after more of him, never ſatisfied with any thing that he hath; though he will bleſs God for the leaſt he hath, yet he will not be ſatisfied with any thing that he hath, but will be preſsing after more, and his language is alwaies, Give, Give. Now Chriſtians, do you examine your own hearts by this? if you have really an intereſt in Chriſt, it will have ſuch an influence upon your Souls, as alwaies to prompt you on to a preſsing after more of Chriſt, to get further into him, and to know more of him, and to be filled with the Spirit of Chriſt. A little grace, grace enough to carry you to Heaven, will not ſatisfie you, but your deſire will be to be made to abound in all grace; your deſire will be to be holy as he is holy, and to be pure as he is pure, in all manner of converſation; and you will never leave craving and deſiring whilſt there is a corner in your hearts to fill, and whilſt there is room for a hungring and thirſting deſire to riſe in your hearts after the Lord Jeſus. Now, if that you can ſatisfie your ſelves with any thing of Chriſt, and ſit down with a bare profeſsion of Chriſt, without any thing of Chriſt in your hearts; if you have not theſe holy hungrings and thirſtings in your Souls after high meaſures, and full enjoyments and manifeſtations of Chriſt, it doth ſpeak very ſadly; but if there be ſuch boundleſs deſires, as we have told you, after Chriſt, it is ſome ſign of Intereſt.
Twelfthly; Again; The Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt, values himſelf, perſons and things as they are in, or have of Chriſt in them: He meaſures all perſons and things by their reference to Chriſt; and he judges that it is Chriſt Jeſus only that makes them to differ; and whatſoever is excellent in any perſon, or in any thing, it is from Chriſt Jeſus, and it hath no more excellency in it than what it hath in and from the Lord Jeſus; he doth not value himſelf by his outward enjoyments; he doth not value himſelf by his gifts, and by his natural accompliſhments, though they be very great and large; he doth not value himſelf by his priviledges in his Goſpel-ſtate, but he counts that he is what he is in Chriſt Jeſus: I am (ſays he) what I am, by the grace of God; and if he cannot eſpy the grace of Chriſt in him, he yet counts that he hath nothing; and if he cannot find ſome hopes of an Intereſt in Chriſt, he counts that he is nothing; he owns and makes reckoning of himſelf as he ſtands in, and hath reference to Chriſt. If Paul would have made a judgment of himſelf by his gifts, who had greater? If Paul would have judged himſelf by his priviledges, who had higher? but he judgeth theſe nothing; By the grace of God, ſays he, I am what I am. And ſo he reckons of all others; he eſteems of perſons as they are in Chriſt; and thoſe that have moſt of Chriſt in them, are moſt excellent; he loves a poor mean Soul in Chriſt, more than the greateſt and richeſt man in the world out of Chriſt; if any perſons have more of his love, more of his heart than others, it is thoſe that have moſt of Chriſt in them. The moſt ſincere Chriſtians, and the moſt growing Chriſtians, and the moſt upright Chriſtians, theſe are the perſons that he moſt loves and values, and delights in; and as to all Ordinances, he values them not but as he meets with Jeſus Chriſt in them; if he finds not Chriſt in an Ordinance, he counts the Ordinance as no Ordinance: And if a Lord's Day doth paſs without ſome communion with Chriſt, he counts 'tis no day to his Soul. And the Goſpel of Chriſt Jeſus that he prizes ſo much, it is becauſe it is Chriſt's Goſpel, and the Truths of the Goſpel, that are ſo dear to to him, that he can venture all for, it is becauſe they are Chriſt's Truths. Now Chriſtians, examine your ſtate and condition by this alſo; what is it that you value your ſelves by? Do you value your ſelves by your bare profeſſions? Do you value your ſelves by your enlargement? Do you value your ſelves by your gifts? Do you value your ſelves by the name that you have amongſt men? Thoſe that are in Chriſt do not value themſelves thus, but by what they apprehend themſelves to be in, and to have received from Chriſt Jeſus.
Thirteenthly, Again; The Soul that is intereſted in Chriſt, riſes and falls in its ſpirit, according unto the ſenſible manifeſtations or withdrawings of Chriſt in his heart; he rejoyces as Chriſt doth appear, and he is ſaddened as Chriſt doth withdraw, and his joy is coming and going as Chriſt is coming and going in his heart; an appearance of Chriſt makes day in his heart, and the withdrawings of Chriſt makes night in his Soul: When there is a Curtain drawn between Chriſt and him, then he is in the dark, and then his Soul ſits in ſorrow; then he is covered over with mourning; but upon the return of Chriſt his Soul leaps within him, and he is filled and ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſs, Iſa. 61.10. I will rejoyce in the Lord; my Soul ſhall be joyful in my God. Why ſo? becauſe Chriſt doth appear, and puts on ſomething of his own clothing, and giveth out ſomething of himſelf to me; he comes as a Bridegroom decketh himſelf with Ornaments, and makes me as his Bride, and decks me with his Jewels. Now this doth cauſe me to rejoyce in the Lord, and makes me joyful in my God. Days of communion, and ſeaſons of manifeſtation, they are the feſtival days that his Soul enjoys, and nothing cauſes ſo great a damp upon his heart, as when Chriſt draws off. This was ſeen in David, he riſes and falls in his ſpirit, as were the manifeſtations or the withdrawings of Chriſt there. Lord, ſays he, thy loving kindneſs is better than life; Ay, there was his joy and gladneſs. And Lord, ſays he at another time, thou didſt but hide thy face, and I was troubled; there was his ſorrow for Chriſt's abſence. And, ſays the Spouſe, Cant. 1.2. Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth. By [kiſs] here, is meant ſome viſible manifeſtation of Chriſt unto his Soul, ſome diſcernable token of his love; Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth [for thy love (ſaies he) is better than Wine.] [Wine] you know was to be given to thoſe that were of a heavy heart by Solomons direction, Proverbs 31.6. and Pſal. 104.15. Wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and Oil to make his face to ſhine. So as Wine, it is to be given to thoſe that are of a heavy heart, it is that which is to make joyful, and to exhilarate the Spirits. Now ſaies David, Lord thy love is better then Wine, there is more in a little communication of Chriſt Jeſus, then in the greateſt refreſhment, and heart chearing in the world, for this love that is better then Wine, is not love ſimply conſidered, but the effects of love in gracicious manifeſtations, as John 14.21, 22. He that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifeſt my ſelf unto him; and ſaies Judas, not Iſcariot, Lord how is it that thou wilt manifeſt thy ſelf unto us, and not unto the world? This love was a love of manifeſtation; now ſaies he, Let him kiſs me mith the kiſſes of his mouth. Let love be manifeſted, and this manifeſting love is better than Wine: O it will make all other things dainties to him, and ſweets to be bitter in his Spirit; this is ſweet indeed, and an abiding ground of joy and comfort to his Soul upon the evidence of his love, and upon the ſight of his face, and communion with him. Now Chriſtians, examine your hearts by this, if that your joy be determined upon ſomething elſe then upon Chriſt, and if that the withdrawments of Chriſt don't cauſe the greateſt ſadneſs unto your Spirits, it is a ſhround ſign that you have no intereſt in Chriſt: But now where Chriſt Jeſus is lookt upon as the very joy of your Souls, and you moſt of all joy in his preſence, and you are moſt of all troubled at his departure, and at the hidings of his face; it is a ſign of intereſt. O it is a ſign that that Woman doth intirely love her Husband, that cannot bear that he ſhould be long abſent from her, and is moſt of all pleaſed in his company; ſo it is a ſign that that Soul is married unto Chriſt Jeſus, that cannot bear the withdrawments of Chriſt, and that is never ſo much troubled and toſſed, and diſcomforted and afflicted in his Spirit, as when Jeſus Chriſt ſtands behind the Curtain, and refuſeth to make anſwer to his Soul; when he is crying after him.