The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 11
Sermon XI.
Cnt. 1. 2.
Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his Mouth: For thy loves are better than Wine.
FOr thy loves are better then Wine.] I have handled theſe 2 Propoſitions, which the matter of theſe words affords us. I have now only further to conſider, the relation they ſtand in to the Petition, conſidered as an argument uſed by the Spouſe to inforce it. I have already ſhewed you, they are brought in by the Spouſe. 1. Partly to ſhew us the reaſon why the Spouſe ſo earneſtly deſired theſe tokens of Chriſts diſtinguiſhing love, viz. becauſe ſhe had found them good, yea good before Wine, (as is the Hebrew Idiom) 2. Partly as an argument ſhe inforceth her Petition drawn from the value ſhe ſet upon the love of Chriſt. Each of theſe will afford us a diſtinct Propoſition.
Prop. 1.That the ground of Believers earneſt deſire after the tokens of Chriſts diſtinguiſhing love, and neareſt communion with him, is their knowledge, and experience, of the goodneſs, and tranſcendent excellency of it.
Prop. 2.That it is a good argument, for Chriſtians to uſe in pleading with God for the choiceſt diſpenſations of his grace if they can truly tell him, that his Grace is very precious to them. Theſe 2 propoſitions remain yet to be handled, I begin with the firſt of them.
1 Prop. The ground of Believers earneſt deſires after the tokens of Chriſts diſtinguiſhing love, is their knowledge, and experience, of the goodneſs and tranſcendent excellency that is in it.
I ſay their knowledge, of the goodneſs, and tranſcendent goodneſs of thoſe tokens of Divine Love. By knowledge I here mean no more then their believing apprehenſion. God hath in his word revealed the excellency of them, this revelation they have read, and heard, and God hath wrought in their hearts a firm and ſteady aſſent to the Divine Revelation: This indeed is Gods firſt work in the Soul, the motion of the will, and affections follow it. I added [and experience.] Experience is a ſenſible evidence. Knowledge is gained by reading, and hearing, experience by ſeeing and enjoying; knowledge conduceth ſomething to move the Will and Affections, experience more. The reaſon is, becauſe good things in the fruition, and enjoyment of them, do not alwaies anſwer our firſt apprehenſions of them, and expectations from them, but nothing can be imagined more potent to incline the whole Soul to any thing than knowledge in conjunction with experience juſtifying our apprehenſion. As we have heard (ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 48. 8.) ſo have we ſeen in the City of our God; when a Soul hath not only heard of the Loves of Chriſt, but its Eyes hath ſeen them, the Soul hath taſted how good the Lord is, this mightily engageth the Affections. Eſpecially if we further conſider, that whereas in all ſenſible objects called good, the fruition, or enjoyment rarely anſwers the report of them, or the apprehenſion of them which the Soul firſt entertained and apprehended: it is quite contrary here, the enjoyment infinitely tranſcends the notion and apprehenſion, ſo that as the Queen of Sheba ſaid to Solomon; It was a true report that I heard in my own land of thy Acts, and of thy wiſdom, howbeit I believed I eved not their words, until I came, and mine Eyes had ſeen it, and behold the half was not told me, thy wiſdom, and proſperity exceedeth the fame which I heard, 1 Kings 10. 6. 7. So ſaith the Soul, that being juſtified by faith hath arrived to a peace with God; Lord it was a true report that I read in thy word, and heard from thy Miniſters, while I was yet in my natural ſtate, and condition of thy loves, and the infinite ſweetneſs that is in them, how beit I believed not the words, until my Soul came to taſt ſomething of it, and behold the half of that quiet, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt, the half of that ſerenity of conſcience, and ſatisfaction, which the Soul hath from a peace with God, was not told me, thy loves far exceed the fame which I heard.
I ſhall lay the proof of this Doctrine upon theſe 2 Propoſitions, which have a natural rational evidence to every reaſonable Soul.
1. The Soul of man naturally, and neceſſarily knowing an object to be good, and wanting it in whole or in part to any conſiderable degree, doth deſire it, and without ſuch knowledge it deſires it not. It is a rule in Philoſophy, we will nothing, but what to us appeareth good, It is our miſery in our lapſed ſtate, that many things to us appear ſo, which are not ſo, but they muſt ſo appear or we cannot will them. Three things muſt concur to make any thing the object of a reaſonable Souls deſires. 1. An apprehended goodneſs in it. That is, an apprehended Sutableneſs in it, to our ſtate, or circumſtances, if there be never ſo much goodneſs in a thing if we have no knowledge of it, no apprehenſion of ſuch goodneſs in it, our will moveth not by deſire toward it. Hence it is, that the Clown deſires no learning, and the man of learning and knowledge deſireth no exceſs of gold or Silver. Though there be a goodneſs in learning and knowledge. Yet the Clown apprehends it not, ſo doth not deſire it, and though there be ſome degrees of goodneſs in a great eſtate, yet the Philoſopher and man of contemplation apprehends it no further than as it ſerveth for a Viaticum, a Travelling Penny to pay for food & rayment whiles he paſſeth through the world. And indeed this is the true reaſon why the ſenſual profane man ſaith to the Almighty, depart from me, and to Chriſt, what do I care for thee? for being under no conviction of his loſt, and miſerable eſtate, and poſſibly hardly believing that he hath an immortal Soul, or ſhall have any exiſtence beyond this Life, he ſeeth nothing in Chriſt, or the loves of Chriſt, that any way ſuteth the neceſſities, and wants of his Soul, and, Ignot i nulla cupido, what good a man doth not know he never longeth for. 2. A Second thing, concurring to make the Object of deſire is an apprehended poſſibility of attaining to or enjoying what he apprehends ſo ſutable; for the reaſon of man will not ſuffer his Soul to move towards what he apprehends impoſſible to be attained. Hence as no Schollar ever heartily deſired all kinds & degrees of learning & knowledge: ſo no worldling ever deſired all the Gold and Silver in it. Hence it is alſo impoſſible that a Soul under an habituated deſpair ſhould heartily deſire the Love, and favour of God, which it apprehends not poſſible for it to obtain. 3. The object of it muſt be ſomthing which the Soul wanteth, either in whole, or in part, either as to the thing it ſelf, or as to ſome degrees of it, or at leaſt what it apprehendeth itſelf to want? Still apprehenſion is neceſſary, for De non Entibus, & non apparentibus, eadem eſt ratio. It is the ſame thing as to this motion of the Soul not to have a good, and not to apprehend that it hath it. for our Souls move according to their apprehenſions; and this is the reaſon, none deſires being (though they may deſire the continuance of it;) the healthy man deſireth not health (though he may bleſs God for it and deſireth the continuance of it.) The Ignorant bold preſumptuous Sinner deſireth not the Love of God, the pardon of Sins; he thinks he is ſure of all. Hence now it is that the believer deſires the Loves of Chriſt, it apprehendeth them good, poſſible, and what its Soul doth ſtand indaily, and further need of, which apprehenſion is the reaſon why our Souls deſire any thing, be it of what nature ſoever; we can deſire nothing but what we muſt apprehend good, ſutable to us in ſome of our circumſtances, poſſible to be attained, and ſuch as either wholly, or in ſome degree at leaſt, we need.
2. According to the degree of our knowledge or apprehenſion of the goodneſs of any object ſo are our deſires after it. This will juſtify itſelf upon experience in all other things, we do not deſire them according to the degree of goodneſs in them, for then every man muſt deſire the favour of God, Union and Communion with him, but according to the degree of our knowledge, or apprehenſion of ſuch a good, as ſuch. Now there are various degrees of knowledge.
1. The firſt and meaneſt is the meer act of our Underſtanding. which by the help of our Eyes, and Ears gaineth the knowledge of things, And thus the vileſt of men may know that the Loves of Chriſt are good, yea good before wine, that is, they may have ſo read in the Bible, ſo heard from Miniſters of the Goſpel. And even this knowledge may produce in a bad man a deſire after theſe things, proportioned to his apprehenſion. Hence ſuch a man may faintly will, and lazily deſire theſe things.
2. A Second degree of Knowledge is Opinion. This riſeth a little higher, the man who thus knows that the Loves of Chriſt are good, doth not onelyonly know it from reading, or hearing, but from probable Arguments. Nor is it difficult for a wicked man thus alſo to know that the Loves of Chriſt are good. Aſſoon as he can be made to believe that there is a God, and that he is the Fountain of Good, and that Jeſus Chriſt is the Eternal Son of God, and Equal with the Father, both in Eſſence and all Divine Perfections, his Reaſon will perſuade him that there muſt be a Goodneſs, yea, a tranſcendent Goodneſs in Chriſts Loves. But while Fleſh and Blood only revealeth this thing unto him, his Knowledge is incertain and faint, and he is ſubject to thoughts that he may be miſtaken, and therefore though he may ſometimes deſire Chriſts Love, yet it is but by fits, and with incertainties, according to the Nature of the Knowledge and Apprehenſion he hath of the truth of the things.
3. A Third degree of Knowledge is Perſuaſion, ariſing from Demonſtration. Now there is 1. A Demonſtration of Senſe; thus we know the Sun ſhines, the Fire burneth, &c. 2. A Demonſtration of Reaſon; when we can conclude a thing from infallible Principles of natural Reaſon. 3. A Demonſtration of Faith, which is the Demonſtration of the Spirit. When men know things from the holy Spirits fully perſuading them of the truth of this, or that, from a Divine Revelation. This is the Demonſtration of faith.
4. There is yet a further and higher degree of Knowledg, that ariſeth from Experience, being a ſenſible Evidence of the truth of what the Soul had before received a little of, from the ſight of the Eye and hearing of the Ear, and more from the perſuaſion of the Spirit, and ſome Argumentations within itſelf. I ſay now that according to the degree of the Souls knowledge and apprehenſion, ſo are the workings of the Affections: This of deſire in particular. Hence the deſires of Believers to the Loves of Chriſt, muſt neceſſarily be the ſtrongeſt: For the degree of the Knowledge and Apprehenſion the Believer hath of the goodneſs of them, is higher than it is poſſible any other Souls ſhould have. Other Souls may have read Books diſcourſing the Loves of Chriſt, or heard Diſcourſes of that tendency, or judge ſo from Arguments of Scripture, which may make ſuch a thing probable to them: But none but theſe have any perſuaſion wrought in their Souls by the Spirit of God, of the Excellency of them, none elſe have had any real Taſts and Experience of them Knowledge and Experience of the Goodneſs of any Objects being thoſe things which move the Soul to deſire them, and the degree of the Souls apprehenſion of ſuch Goodneſs and Excellency in Objects, the ground of the Souls Intention in ſuch deſires; it muſt neceſſarily follow that a good Chriſtians Knowledge and Experience of that Goodneſs which is in Chriſts Loves, muſt be the grounds of their deſires after them. There needeth no Scripture to prove this, it is evident to our Reaſon. Yet take the Inſtance of David, Pſal. 4. 6. David deſires of God to lift up the light of his Countenance upon him. Obſerve now v. 7. what made him prefer the light of Gods Countenance to the Worldlings Corn, and Wine, and Oil, Thou haſt put gladneſs into my Heart. Accordingly he tells us Pſal. 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their truſt in thee. Hence you ſhall obſerve that David concludeth many of his Pſalms of Praiſe with Prayer. But, will ſome ſay, If they have had experience of the Loves of Chriſt, why ſhould they yet deſire them? None deſires what they have. This is true, if our Enjoyments were perfect, but there is an heighth, and depth, and length, and breadth of the Love of God in Jeſus Chriſt, an heighth which the Soul hath not taken, a depth which the Soul hath not fathomed, a length and breadth which the Soul hath not meaſured from end to end. It is true, we deſire nothing but what we want, either in whole or in part, therefore in Heaven will be no deſire, That which is perfect will be come, and all that which is in part only, will be done away: But we ſhall never be filled with the Loves of Chriſt till our Mortality be ſwallowed up in Life. I come now to the Application.
Uſe 1.We may learn from hence. That God muſt ſhew ſome act of Love to us, before we can ſhew any Love to him. Deſires after the Loves of Chriſt, though ſincere, are the leaſt, and firſt, and loweſt motions of our Souls toward God. Theſe (you have heard) muſt ariſe from a Knowledge and Experience of the goodneſs of thoſe Loves. Now this Knowledge, this Experience, muſt be the Gift of God to, and the work of God in, and upon the Soul, yea, and that not in a way of common Grace and Illumination, but in a way of ſpecial Grace; for though a common Illumination may produce ſome faint deſires, yet it will produce no ſincere and effectual deſires, becauſe the Knowledge, begot by them, will be flitting and incertain, and attended with Doubts, Fears, and Incertainties. So as till the Lord by his Spirit hath wrought in the Soul a perſuaſion of Faith, commanding the Soul without diſpute to give credit to what he hath revealed in his Word, there will be no ſincere deſires in the Soul after theſe things. The Schoolmen tell us there are three ways by which we gain the Knowledge of a thing. By Signs, Conjectures, and Effects, (as ſome Cauſes are known.) 2. By the enquiry of our Reaſon into the nature of it. 3. By Divine Revelation. The Excellency of the Loves of Chriſt is a ſpiritual thing, and to be judged upon Spiritual accounts, and in a Spiritual manner. The natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 2. 14. So as the natural Reaſon of a Man will ſerve him very little to the gaining of this Knowledge, by the Effects, having never experienced it he cannot know it; ſo as there is no other way to know it but by Divine Revelation, God (ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 2. 10.) hath revealed them to us by his Spirit. And v. 12. We have received the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given us of God. So as that I ſay God muſt ſhew ſome ſpecial token of his Love to our Souls for good, before we can ſhew any Love to him, or make ſo much as one ſtep toward him.
Uſe 2.Obſerve from hence, That a Believers Soul moves rationally and accountably enough in all its deſires after the Loves of Chriſt. The Souls of Believers are not ſo unintelligible as ſome prophane Perſons would make them in their Paſſions for, and Motions towards Chriſts Loves. The Knowledge a Soul hath, or the Experience which it hath had of the Goodneſs and Excellency of any Object, moves the reaſonable Soul to the deſires of it. Admitting the Believer to ſee things in another Light than a natural Man hath, or can ſee in, to have other Notions of Good and Evil, and to take the meaſures of them from their ſubſerviency to the Spiritual and eternal good of the Soul; the Paſſions and Deſires of his Soul after Chriſts Love, are as natural Motions of the reaſonable Souls, as the Worldlings Deſires after Riches, or the ſenſual Mans Paſſions for ſuch things as gratifie the ſenſitive Appetite. The Reaſon why every Soul moveth not after theſe Spiritual Things, is becauſe every Soul ſeeth not the Good and Excellency in them. Multitudes hardly know (that is, believe) they have immortal Souls that ſhall outlive their Bodies in a ſtate of Happineſs or Miſery; or if they know or believe that, yet they do not believe that there is no other name under Heaven by which they can be ſaved, but only the name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Nor ever had any experience of the Love of God to Souls. Their deriding of Religious Paſſions, and the Breathings of pious Souls after the Manifeſtations of Divine Love, flows from their ignorance of them, and their unreaſonable Rudeneſs, in ſpeaking evil of the things which they know not. The original difference betwixt a perſon truly pious, and panting after the Love of Chriſt and others, lies here: Theſe Creatures know that they have Souls, Souls ordained to an eternal exiſtence, either in Hėll, or Heaven, in eternal Happineſs, or in eternal Miſery. They believe what God hath ſaid, that there is no other Name under Heaven by which Men and Women can be ſaved, but only the name of Jeſus Chriſt, neither is there Salvation in any other. That he that believeth on him is not condemned, and he that believeth not is damned already, the Wrath of God abideth on him, and he ſhall never ſee Life; they do not only read theſe things in their Bibles, and hear them from their Preachers, but the Holy Spirit of God hath firmly perſuaded them, that they do as fixedly believe them, as they do any thing of ſenſible or rational Demonſtration; they have more waky thoughts, with reference to Death; Mortality and Eternity, are things more in their Eyes than in the Eyes of others: Again, they have taſted and experienced more of the Love of Chriſt. Allow the Souls of others to be in the ſame Circumſtances, they would have alike Motions; but becauſe they are ignorant, knowing nothing of Spiritual Things, or at leaſt nothing as they ought to know it, thence it is that their Souls move not; this is now but the natural working of reaſonable Souls in other caſes, nor is there any ſuch unaccountable, or unintelligible thing in it.
Uſe 3.And indeed this gives us the true Reaſon why every unregenerate Soul is ſo cold in its motions toward Chriſt, and alſo may inform us how far it is poſſible ſuch a Soul may go in motions of this nature. The Reaſon why ſuch a Soul moves no more, is want of Evidence, which ſuch a Soul hath of the Goodneſs of his Loves. Simple Goodneſs, and Excellency in an Object, is not attractive of the Soul, but Goodneſs apprehended by, evidenced, and appearing to us. All the apprehenſion that it is poſſible, a natural man ſhould have of the Loves of Chriſt, muſt be from Reading, Hearing, or its own Reaſoning and concluding from what it hath ſo heard, or read; for it wants both the demonſtrative perſuaſion of the Holy Spirit, and alſo any experimental Taſts or ſenſible Evidence. All Knowledge which hath no better Foundation, will ariſe no higher than to beget in the Soul an Opinion, and leaves the Soul at ſome Incertainties, and unfixed, and hence its Motions towards an Object of which it hath no better Evidence, are alſo incertain and faint, and fluctuating. Knowledge being the Foundation of Deſire, Reaſon will tell us that the Deſire muſt bear proportion with the Knowledge. The unregenerate man, having no Knowledge of Spiritual things, that is productive of more than an Opinion, the deſire muſt be incertain and faint, according to the nature of the Opinion that cauſeth it.
Uſe 4.By this alſo Chriſtians may be able to take ſome Meaſures, and make up ſome Judgments of themſelves, whether the deſires they find in their Souls after Chriſt, and his Loves, be ſuch as are peculiar to the Souls of Believers, yea or no. We uſually ſay that Deſires after Grace are Evidences of it, and there is a truth in it, but all deſires are not ſo; for as I have ſaid, there may be deſires after Chriſt and his Loves, in an unregenerate Man, commenſurate to that knowledge which he hath of the Goodneſs of them; but this will ſpeak nothing of good to the Soul, only ſuch Deſires, as flow from a Chriſtians Knowledge of Faith, and from Experience. He that hath only a knowledge of Chriſt and his Loves, from Reading the word, or from the Report of Miniſters, may ſo far deſire Chriſts Loves, as may ſerve him for his own ends, nay though he hath no great Faith as to that eternal State of Happineſs to which Chriſt brings the Soul, but hath only received Notions of ſuch ableſſed State, to which he gives no great credit, yet for his own Security, becauſe his notions may be true, though he hath no great fixed perſuaſion of them, he may yet deſire the Loves of Chriſt ſo far as to bring him to an everlaſting Happineſs. As a Merchant that hath heard a Report of the rare Commodities, and cheapneſs of them, in a Country, which Report he doth not ſo far believe, as he will adventure an Hundred Pounds to try the Iſſue, yet may deſire the Commodities at ſuch Rates as he hears of; ſo may an unregenerate man that hath fate under the Preaching of the Goſpel, and heard abundantly of the Excellency of Chriſt, and the rare effects of his Love, though he will not do any thing toward the obtaining them, yet may wiſh that Chriſt loved him, that he might be made partaker of ſuch Love, though all this while in Heart he believeth little or nothing. That you may not therefore deceive your ſelves in this point, take a few notes of ſuch deſires as are indeed Evidences of Grace.
1. They are not meer velleities, lazy wiſhings, and wouldings as we ſay, but alwaies attended with the uſe of means which we judge or find proper to obtain our deſires. And indeed this alone without anything further ſaid, will try this iſſue; a deſire ariſing from the knowledge and experience a Soul hath of the goodneſs of an Object is alwaies attended with the uſe of what means are within our reach for the obtaining of it. Hence a Souls pretended deſire of the pardon of ſin through the blood of Chriſt, and of living with Chriſt in glory, not conjoined with fervent prayers, with an endeavour to reform our lives, and to ſin no more, is of no good ſignificancy at all. It is only an indication, that the man or woman would be happy, and ſecure as to eternity (if there be ſuch a thing which he hath heard;) but now when theſe deſires are attended, with ſad reflections upon ourſelves for ſin, ſerious indeavours againſt ſin, and hearty and fervent prayers to God for pardon, theſe things ſpeak the truth, and ſincerity of our deſires.
2. Deſires upon knowledge and experience of the goodneſs of a thing are alwaies moſt intenſe, and ſtrongeſt. If you obſerve it, the deſires of our Souls are augmented from a double cauſe 1. The certainty of our knowledge of that goodneſs which is in the thing deſired. 2. The quickneſs of our apprehenſion of the want of it: The more full, and certain knowledge that we have of the goodneſs and excellency of an Object the more we deſire it. For I told you before it is not the ſimple goodneſs, and excellency of a thing that draweth out our Souls after it, but our apprehenſion of ſuch a goodneſs, hence in reaſon it muſt follow that the deſire muſt be ſtrongeſt in that Soul, where the apprehenſion is moſt full and certain. And all goodneſs being meaſured by us by the ſuitableneſs of the thing to our wants, the quicker and fuller apprehenſions the Soul hath of its wants of Chriſt love, the ſtronger muſt the ſouls motions for, and towards it be. Now the believing Soul, having the moſt certain knowledge of the goodneſs of the Loves of Chriſt, and having alſo the fulleſt, and quickeſt apprehenſion of its wants of them, of neceſſity its pantings after them muſt be moſt intenſe, and ſtrong; As the Hart panteth after the Water Brooks (as David ſpeaketh, Pſal. 42. 1.) Hence it is that when the Prayers of Hypocrites are but complementings of God, a few words of courſe, the prayers of the Saints are wreſtlings with God (as Jacobs prayer is ſtiled) ſtrong cries, and groans which cannot be uttered (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Rom. 8.) where any Soul findeth ſuch deſires as theſe, it hath reaſon to rejoice, and be comforted concerning the truth of its grace, tho it findeth its actions imperfect, and Gods manifeſtations of himſelf to it in conſolatory influences not ſo full. In this ſenſe it is true, that deſires of grace, are indications of it, provided they be ſuch deſires, as flow from a knowledge, or any experience of Divine Love, I mean a knowledge of Faith, a certain firm perſuaſion wrought in the heart of that goodneſs and excellency that is in Chriſt, and his loves, not a meer knowledge from report, and the credit of others, but ſuch deſires can never admit of a regardleſs careleſsneſs, whether the Soul obtaineth what it deſireth or no, but will be attended, with an inquiry after, and a due uſe of all means for the obtaining the thing deſired. And beſides, they will alwaies be ſtrong deſires according to the nature of the good deſired, and the apprehended degree of the Souls want of it; and hence again: The Soul that hath theſe true deſires, will find them attended with trouble and unquietneſs till it hath in ſome meaſure at leaſt obtained the thing which it deſireth, for as the wiſe man ſaith of Hope (ſo it is true of deſire) deferred it maketh the heart ſick. The Soul filled with deſires is like the Woman in Travel, pained till it obtaineth the thing deſired. As when the deſire is accompliſhed, it is ſweet to the Soul, Prov. 13. 19. So while it is accompliſhed, there muſt be ſome bitterneſs, and uneaſineſs in the Soul. But now deſires after Chriſt and his loves, attended with no trouble, no uneaſineſs for want of the accompliſhment and obtaining of them, faint and cold, and languid deſires without the uſe of means within, our power to obtain the thing deſired are of no ſignificancy as to a truth of grace. Solomon hath two ſayings in his Proverbs that may be applyed here. Prov. 13. 4. The Soul of the ſluggard deſireth, and hath nothing, but the Soul of the diligent ſhall be made fat. And Prov. 21. 25. The deſire of the ſlothful killeth him, for he refuſeth to labour. Two things are ſaid of the ſlothful ſluggard. 1. That he deſireth and hath nothing, he never obtaineth his deſire. 2. That his deſires kill him, they do him hurt, no good; what is the reaſon? Becauſe he refuſeth to labour: But the Soul of the diligent is made fat. Solomon ſpeaketh as to the things of this Life, The Soul of the ſluggard deſireth and hath nothing. It is as true as to Spiritual things, the Grace of God, the Loves of Chriſt. The Souls of Sluggards, that will ſometimes ſay, O that I had my part in Chriſt, O that my Iniquities might be pardoned, O that I might live with God in Glory, &c. but never will do any thing toward theſe things, not ſo much as deny themſelves in a Luſt, nor keep under their Body, and bring it into Subjection in any thing; theſe Souls have nothing. The truth is they have nothing of any true deſire proceeding from any ſound knowledge, or any true experience, but they ſhall have nothing. Their Deſires kill them, if they truſt to theſe deſires of Grace, as Indications of a truth of Grace, they kill them, they cheat their own Souls to an eternal ruine, and deſtruction. But the diligent Soul is made fat. That Soul, that from a ſound and firm perſuaſion of the goodneſs, and excellency of the loves of Chriſt, deſires to taſt, and further to taſt of them, and is diligent in the uſe of means to have its deſires accompliſhed, that Soul ſhall be made fat. That Souls deſires ſhall be accompliſhed, tho it may ſee it falls ſhort of its duty in the uſe of means, and tho it may be God is not pleaſed to give the Soul the ſenſible manifeſtations of its love, ſo that its deſire is deferred, and while it is ſo differred, the heart is pained, and it meets with ſome trouble and uneaſineſs, through the not accompliſhing of its deſires to its ſenſe, yet, it ſhall be made fat. The hope of the righteous (ſaith Solomon) ſhall be gladneſs, ſo the deſire of ſuch a Soul; the diligent Soul, ſhall be ſatisfaction. This is according to the words of our Saviour, Mat. 5. 6. Bleſſed are they which do hunger, and thirſt after righteouſneſs for they ſhall be filled. Thus much I have thought fit to add in this place in anſwer to that queſtion, which we ſometimes meet with, Whether the deſire of grace be grace? A true reſolution of it is of mighty uſe ſometimes to Souls under melancholick diſtempers, or in an hour of temptation to relieve them, where they both want ſenſible manifeſtations, and a juſt view of the ſincerity of their own actions.
Uſe 5.I ſhall ſhut up this diſcourſe with a word of exhortation. 1. To all to look to their deſires, their pretended deſires after Chriſt, and his loves. That of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 16. 22. is a dreadful Curſe. If any man love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt let him be Anathema, Maranatha, accurſed till the Lord come. Love is the complacency of the Soul in an object, the firſt fruit of its deſire. None hath a true complacency in an object, but he deſireth an union with it in ſuch a degree as he is capable of. Hence every one that liveth under the preaching of the Goſpel, and hath heard of Chriſt will pretend to deſire him. But one deſires him from a knowledge by hearſay of the goodneſs of his loves, another deſires him from a knowledge of faith, a ſetled perſuaſion of it wrought in his heart by the Spirit of God, and ſome taſts and experience of it; you have heard that the deſires of the Soul which ariſe from a knowledge of report and hearſay, are weak and faint, and cold and lazy, and will ſpeak nothing of good for the Soul that hath them, you have heard the other deſires are ſtrong, and intenſe, vehement and fervent, active and diligent. Nothing more relieveth a Soul ſometimes, than to find in itſelf; that though it wanteth a ſtrength to perform, yet to will is preſent with it, tho it cannot yet rejoice, and delight in the apprehenſion of his loves, yet for theſe are its deſires. Nothing more killeth and deſtroyeth a Soul, than to truſt to deſires of grace, as indications of it, which indeed are not ſo. O therefore look to your deſires after Chriſt. See that they proceed from knowledge and experience. For experience indeed it dependeth upon Divine influence, and breathing upon the Soul, and the holy Spirit of God like the wind breatheth where it pleaſeth. But ſee that your knowledge of the goodneſs of theſe loves be a knowledge of faith, not a meer knowledge from report and hearſay, as we may know many things of which we believe nothing; that is, we know ſuch things are written, reported, talkt of, rake heed this be not all the knowledge your Souls have of the loves of Chriſt. I have ſhewed you that the Knowledge of Faith, is a knowledge of perſuaſion of the excellency of the loves of Chriſt in themſelves (for I am not now diſcourſing of the perſuaſion that you have a particular intereſt in them) a firm, ſetled, conſtant perſuaſion of the Soul, that the love of Chriſt is the moſt deſirable good in Heaven or Earth, better then Wine yea better than life itſelf. This is the work of the Spirit of God in the Soul. A man can by no ſtudy perſuade himſelf of this, we can, by no art, no words, no arguments of ours perſuade Souls of this. All that you can do, or which we can adviſe you to do in this caſe, in the uſe of ſuch means, to the uſe of which God hath promiſed his bleſſing, or in the uſe of which God ordinarily concurreth with his bleſſing. Theſe means are reducible to a few heads. 1. His Word. 2. His Sacrament. 3. Prayer. 4. A reformed holy life and Converſation.
1. The Word is the great means; he hath given you it in writing, that you may exerciſe your ſelves in it by reading, he hath appointed the Ordinance of Preaching, that you may receive it by your ears; neither reading nor hearing will beget in your Souls ſuch a knowledge of Chriſts love as will be productive of this knowledge which I call the knowledge of faith, but they are both means, means within our own power, and with the uſe of which God uſeth to concur, and in the neglect of which, no…e can expect that the holy Spirit of God ſhould work ſuch a knowledge of the excellency of Chriſt and his loves, as will be productive of theſe deſires after them. The Word of God is therefore called the Word of faith, not only becauſe it containeth the ſubſtance of what we are to believe, but becauſe it is that with the uſe of which God ordinarily concurreth in giving the Soul a power to believe, therefore the Apoſtle tells us, That faith cometh by hearing. If you would know Chriſt, and his loves, read, hear the Word of God, and that in a conſcientious manner, but I have had occaſion to ſpeak of this under a former propoſition.
2. The holy Sacrament is another means, at leaſt for a further knowledge of Chriſt and his loves, I am not of their minds who think that the Lords Supper is a means for conveighing the firſt knowledge of faith, concerning Chriſt and his Loves, to the Soul; if it had, Chriſt doubtleſs would have given it in commiſſion to his Apoſtles, not only to go and preach to, and Baptize all Nations, but alſo to Adminiſter the Supper to them, which he did not if any will ſay, both Sacraments are intended, I ſhall not contend, but the Apoſtles practice expoundeth our Saviours precept, who baptized none till they believed, and made a profeſſion of their true faith in Chriſt, the Sacrament is not a means for ignorant perſons and unbelievers, to come to the firſt knowledge of Faith, but an excellent means in order to the getting a further knowledge of Faith, that is a confirmation of their Faith in the love of Chriſt.
3. A third means is Prayer. He gives his holy Spirit in all the manifeſtations of it to thoſe that ask him.
4. The laſt I mentioned, was a reformed holy life and Converſation. None know the loves of Chriſt more fully and effectually then thoſe Souls, who walk with him moſt cloſely. You know the promiſe of Chriſts manifeſtation of himſelf, is to thoſe that love him, and keep his commandments, but of theſe things I have before inlarged in my diſcourſes upon ſome former propoſitions.