The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 15
Sermon XV.
Cant. 1. 3.
Becauſe of the ſavour of thy good Ointments. Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth; therefore do the Virgins love thee.
I Have yet ſomething further to diſcourſe to you from this Text. You have heard from it, 1. That Chriſt hath good Oils, or good Ointments which caſt a ſavour. 2. That his Name is as an Oil, or Ointment poured forth. It followeth, Therefore do the Virgins love thee. When I opened the words, I noted to you a double ſenſe of the term Virgins, each▪ contrary to the other. Some taking notice of the term Virgins, as ſignifying perſons in a ſingle and ſolute ſtate and condition, underſtand by it, perſons that are natural and unregenerate, not yet by Faith married and united to this ſpiritual Bridegroom, intended in this Song, who upon the pouring out of the ſweet Oil in the Preaching of the Goſpel (which is part of his Name) are invited and allured to take a complacency in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to deſire him, to will and chuſe him as their Lord and their Saviour. There is a truth in this: When I ſhall be lifted up (ſaith Chriſt) I will draw all men after me. But I do not think this the ſenſe of the term: 1. Becauſe I am not willing to interpret Metaphors uſed in Scripture into a ſenſe different from all other Texts of Scripture, where the ſame terms are uſed. Now I do not remember that in all Scripture, Heathens, Unbelievers, Natural and Unregenerate men are called Virgins, but only ſuch as are the Saints and Servants of God. 2. Nor ſecondly are they ſo, they be…ng married to their luſts and to the world, &c. Upon which account the Scripture expreſſeth them under the notion of Adulterers, and Adultereſſes; perſons that are filthy, unclean, defiled, &c. 3. Neither can the Natural Unregenerate man be ſaid (while ſuch) to love Chriſt, becauſe of the ſavour of his good Oiutments, they are conſtantly expreſſed under the notion of ſuch as hate God, and hate Chriſt. By Virgins therefore I then told you the Scripture generally underſtands the Saints. Indeed Profeſſors at large in the Parable, Matth. 25. 1. are ſet out under the notion of fooliſh Virgins. But the wife Virgins are the true Children of God, Rev. 14. 4. 2. Cor. 11. 1. The Propoſition then is this:
Prop. 13. That the Saints (who are Virgins) love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt for thoſe excelling graces which they diſcern in him.
In the handling of which, I ſhall
1. Enquire why Saints are called Virgins, ſo ſhewing you the propriety of the Metaphor.
2. Whence it is, that they love Chr ſt, for the ſavour of his Ointmen…s, and the pourings out of his Name.
Firſt, Why are the Saints of God called Virgins?
Not becauſe they are not married. The Soul of man will not be alone, it will be united to ſomething; if it be not united to God and Chriſt, it will be united to the world, to luſt and corruption. I ſay, it will not be alone. The ſame therefore that are here called Virgins, are elſewhere called The Spouſe of Chriſt, the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, &c. Such as are eſpouſed to one Husband. God faith of them, I am married to you (ſaith the Lord.) But they are called Virgins;
1. Becauſe they are free from thoſe things to which Vulgar Souls are married, but which are not the proper Husbands of reaſonable Souls. God hath created man's Soul for himſelf, and its Maker only can be a proper Husband for it. A Soul may be united to other Objects, but they are not juſt Matches, they are not proper Husbands for Immortal Souls, that are Spiritual Subſtances, and under ordinations for Eternity. The moſt of Souls are married, but they are unequally yoked. For a Spiritual Subſtance to be united to a clod of Earth, to a little yellow Earth or Sand, is a very unequal match. For a Soul to be united to any ſordid luſt, any ſinful pleaſure, is a very unequal match. The Souls of Voluptuous men, of Covetous worldlings, of Ambitious men, they are indeed married, they have made a Covenant with their luſts, and with the world, and with theſe things; they eat, they drink, they ſleep, they converſe, they keep a conſtant communion, as the married woman doth, but they are all this while Adulterers and Adultereſſes, becauſe theſe things are not proper matches for the Soul of man; it is like the marriage of a Man to a Beaſt. Now in this reſpect the Saints are Virgins, not defiled with this adulterous Union; they have eſcaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Pet. 2. 20. Hence they are called undefiled in the way, Pſal. 119. 1. They are Virgins with reſpect to any Marriage-Union with the world, or any ſinful luſts, or any thing which is not a proper match for a rational immortal Soul. They indeed live in the world, and uſe the world, but they uſe it (according to the Apoſtles Precept) as if they uſed it not; they live not with the world, as the Wife lives with her Huſband, delighting in it, looking upon it as their chief Joy and Portion; they make uſe of the world, and the things of this world for their lawful occaſions (as the Man may uſe the Woman that is not his Wife) but the world is not that, which their hearts cleave to, or ſet upon, and in which they take a chief pleaſure and delight. For their luſts and corruptions, they are not free from them, but their hearts are dead to them. Thus they are Virgins with reſpect to their ſtate, which is not a ſtate of abſolute independency from the world, or abſolute freedom from luſts and corruptions, but ſuch a freedom from the one and the other, that they have no conſtant fellowſhip and communion with either.
2. Their Life is like the Life of a Virgin, an hidden Life. The Virgin hath her name in the Hebrew from foreign, which ſignifieth to hide, becauſe ſhe lived an hidden kind of life. Virgins antiently lay hid in their Fathers houſe, and there they ſpent their time, not in Markets, and Fairs, and places of publick concourſe. Dinah made an eſcape, and there was (you know) a ſad conſequent of it. The Virgins life is moſt in her Cloſet, or in her Fathers houſe. Such is the life of a Child of God; they are called God's hidden ones; and the Apoſtle ſaith of them, Our life is hid with Chriſt in God. The Spiritual Soul ſpends moſt of its time at home, in its Cloſet, or in his Fathers houſe, where two or three are met together in the Lord's Name (this is their Fathers houſe on Earth) or elſe in Heaven. Our converſation is in Heaven, Phil. 3. 20. The world (ſaith the Apoſtle) knoweth us not. The Children of God live, but the World underſtands not how they live; they walk with God▪ They live in Chriſt; the life which they live in this ſtate, is by Faith in the Son of God.
3. The Life of Virgins is a free Life, free from that care and ſollicitude which attendeth the Houſe-wife. The Apoſtle telleth us, 1 Cor. 7. The unmarried woman ſeeketh to pleaſe the Lord, but ſhe that is married ſeeketh to pleaſe her Husband. The married woman hath upon her a great deal of care and trouble; ſhe hath an Huſband, ſhe hath Children, ſhe hath Servants, ſhe hath a Family to take care for; the Virgin hath nothing to trouble her, nothing to take care about, but how to pleaſe her Father, who provideth for her what ſhe hath need of. In this reſpect the Diſciples of Chriſt are Virgins; God hath bidden them be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and Supplications, let your requeſts be made known unto God, Philip. 4. 6. He hath commanded them to caſt their care upon him, aſſuring them that he careth for them, 1 Pet. 5. 7. As the Father taketh the care of his Virgin Daughters upon himſelf, ſo as they need not be ſollicitous, or trouble themſelves with cares what they ſhould eat, or what they ſhould drink, or what they ſhould put on; ſo hath the Lord taken care for his Children; and every Child of God that walks up to his Principles, and liveth up to his holy Calling, leadeth a life as void of ſollicitous care and anxiety, as the Virgin in her Fathers houſe, whoſe only care is to pleaſe her Father. He is indeed careful to maintain good works but for nothing elſe; and thus as with reſpect to their ſtate, ſo with reſpect to the way and condition of their lives, the Saintsare Virgins. But further yet, they are, or ſhould be Virgins, with reſpect to their Qualifications.
4. Virgins are chaſt and undefiled. Thus the Children of God are uſually deſcribed in holy Writ. I have eſpouſed you to one Huſband, that I may preſent you as a chaſt Virgin to Chriſt, 2 Cor. 11. 2. They are called pure in heart, undefiled in the way; they have not defiled their garments, Rev. 3. 4. Indeed every married woman is not an unclean woman; there is a marriage-bed undefiled (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) and indeed as there is a matrimonial Virginity, or Chaſtity, ſo the Saints are ſuch; for though they be Virgins, yet they are eſpouſed to one Husband; they are married unto Chriſt. Though their hearts cleave not to Objects which indeed cannot be the proper Husbands of a reaſonable, ſpiritual and immortal Soul.
5. Finally, Virgins are or ſhould be modeſt in all their behaviour. She that hath loſt her Modeſty, hath expoſed her Virginity to great jealouſies and ſuſpicions. The Children of God are ſo in their hearts, in their diſcourſes, in their hehaviour. But I have opened this Metaphor ſufficiently. Now theſe Virgins love Chriſt for the ſavor of his Name, becauſe his Name is an Oil, or Ointment poured forth. All theſe things are ſpoken in a figure, that figure which we uſually call a Metaphor. Sweet things entice and allure our ſenſes. Sweet ſavours are grateful to our ſmell. Thence it is that it hath been an antient practice for Men and Women to uſe ſweet Oil, or Powder, that they might be more amiable and delightful to their Lovers: This you may know was an old practice, by that inſtance of the lewd Woman in the Proverbs, who to invite the young man to her Adulterous Bed, tells him, She had perfumed her Bed with Myrrh, Aloes and Cinamon. The Spouſe making uſe of this vain and wanton practice, to expreſs how pleaſant and delightful Chriſt was to her, fancieth him as one perfumed with ſweet Odours; anointed with odoriferous Oil, or Ointment. Thy Name (ſaith ſhe) is as an Oil, or Ointment poured forth; Therefore do the Virgins love thee. That is, thou art poſſeſſed of many noble, rich and excellent habits of grace, which make thee to my Soul appear infinitely more ſweet and lovely, than all the good Oils and Perfumes in the World can make one appear to the wanton ſenſe of another; and for thoſe excellent graces of the Spirit, by thee not received by meaſure, and for the pourings out, and diſcoveries of theſe upon the Souls of the Saints, and the diſcovery of them unto their Souls it is, That Souls freed from the pollutions of the world through luſt: Souls that are holy, ſpiritual, heavenly- minded, deſire after delights, and take an infinite complacency in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. What theſe excellent habits are; what this ſame unctuous, ſweet-ſmelling Name of Chriſt is, I have already opened, in my former Diſcourſe. Let me now a little further ſhew you:
Qu. 2. What there is in the excellent Graces, or precious Diſcoveries of Chriſt, which make Chriſt ſo amiable to the Soul?
1. There is in them an infinite, inexhauſtible, real goodneſs. All good is attractive. Who will ſhew us any good, is, you know, Vox Populi; and it is impoſſible a Soul ſhould apprehend any thing fixedly, as really and tranſcendently good, but it muſt be pleaſing to it. Light is not more grateful to the Eye, than Good is to the reaſonable Soul: And as our Eye is proportionably pleaſed with the glimmerings of Light from a Candle, or the counterfeit of it in a Glow-worm; ſo the Soul of man falls into the imbracings of good, when it doth but glimmer in a piece of Silver, or diſſemble in a periſhing pleaſure. Nay, we are not altogether ſelfiſh in this motion of our will, which we call Love: We naturally love what we apprehend good, though we view it but at a diſtance from us▪ Many a man that hath no Learning, nor is ever like to have it, yet loves Learning, as it hath in it an innate Excellency, as it is an ornament to him that hath it, and makes him more uſeful to the world than his Neighbour. In Chriſt's excelling graces, which dwell in him eminently, and eſſentially, there is ſuch a luſtre, and brightneſs, and glory, that to make the Soul take a complacency in him, there needeth no more than that it be enlightened to ſee, know, and underſtand Chriſt. Hence it is that many a Soul convinced of the filthineſs of ſin, and of the fulneſs of that Excellency which is in Chriſt, before ever it have received him, ſo as to apprehend its Intereſt in him, yet loves, admireth him, paſſionately deſireth a part and portion in him, ſaith within it ſelf, Oh that my Soul were brought unto Chriſt! Oh that this Chriſt were my Chriſt, my Jeſus, &c.
2. But there is not only a tranſcendent goodneſs and excellency in Chriſt's Name, but alſo a Relative Goodneſs. Our reaſonable Natures force us to love any thing which appeareth to us to be Good and Excellent; but we much more love it, when we diſcover in it a ſuitableneſs to our ſtate and condition; and the more goodneſs and ſuitableneſs we diſcern in any Object in proportion to our ſtate and wants, the more a great deal do our hearts cleave to it, and long after it. Now every Child of God is apprehenſive enough of the proportion which the Name of Chriſt bears to the wants, the various wants that it hath. It wants a Mediator, a Saviour, an Advocate, an Interceſſor, and this that Soul is ſufficiently ſenſible of, and therefore its heart cleaveth unto Chriſt, and cryeth out, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? Or what have I upon the Earth to be compared with thee? This Soul ſeeth, that there is nothing in Heaven or Earth that ſo ſuiteth the Soul of a Child of God as Chriſt doth. Hence his love to him is ſtronger than the Grave, and his jealouſie burns like fire.
3. The Virgins muſt needs love Chriſt, upon the diſcoveries of himſelf to their Souls, becauſe theſe diſcoveries command, and teach the Soul to love him. Our love to Chriſt proceeds, you ſee, upon rational grounds, but not wholly upon rational Principles; for we are taught of God (ſaith the Apoſtle) to love one another; and if without a Divine Teaching we cannot love our Brethren whom we have ſeen, we ſhall much leſs love Chriſt, whom we have not ſeen Indeed this is the firſt cauſe of any love from our carnal hearts to Chriſt at all, it is true. No Sacrifice from our hearts flameth, or can aſcend towards God, until fire hath firſt come down from Heaven and kindled it; when indeed love is thus kindled in the Soul, the fire increaſeth in the Soul; as the apprehenſions of Chriſt's Excellencies, and diſcoveries of himſelf, do increaſe in the Soul from the experiences we have of God, or the improvements of our Reaſon upon Revelation, to ſhew us more of the Excellency of Chriſt. I come now to the Application.
Uſe 1.In the firſt place, This may convince us, That even amongſt Profeſſors there are many that glory in appearance, and not in reality. They are no Virgins; they have no love for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. The world it is to be hoped is not ſo full of ſuch as go for Virgins in a carnal ſenſe, and are none, as it is of ſuch as go for Virgins, in a ſpiritual ſenſe, and are none. Unmarried they are, but you muſt underſtand it only with reference to Chriſt, who is the only proper adequate match for a reaſonable Soul; they are without Chriſt indeed, but not without a-Mate.
Firſt, Too many are Whores inſtead of Virgins. You ſhall in Scripture obſerve, that ſin, eſpecially Apoſtacy, is compared to Whoredom; and thoſe that live in ſin, to ſuch as live in Adultery. God of old complained of his People, that he was broken with their whoriſh heart. Ah! how many Profeſſors are there in the world, of whom we may ſay the ſame; God is broken with their whoriſh heart. How many ſpots are there in our Aſſemblies? How many of our Virgins that have at leaſt ſuch black ſpots upon their faces, as cannot be allowed to be the ſpots of God's Children? Some are gone a whoring after other Gods. (Reconciled they call it to the Church of Rome.) Oh! tell it not in Gath, publiſh it not in the Tents of Askelon, that Proteſtants ſhould ever again lick up that Vomit, and be ſo ſottiſh, as to adore a piece of bread for God, or fall down before a Graven Image. Bleſſed be God there are not many whom God hath thus given over; I mean, not many Profeſſors, though too many that have been baptized into the Name of Jeſus Chriſt. But how many more have defiled themſelves with damnable, or at leaſt very dangerous Opinions? You read of the Daughter of Jephtah, that ſhe went up to the Mountains three months to bewail her Virginity. The Mountains are places of ſolitude. How were it to be wiſhed for many, that they would go and ſit alone; that they would go up to the Mountains of Solitude, and bewail the loſs of their Spiritual Virginity. They were ſound Chriſtians (in appearance) but they have loſt their ſoundneſs. They were fond of Ordinances and Duties, but they have caſt off Duties and Ordinances. They were of the number of Virgins, as we thought, and we were bound in charity ſo to think (we judged by the outward appearance) but they have defiled themſelves.
Secondly, Many are wedded, and no Virgins. We do not call married Women Virgins. 'Tis true, they are not ſo in one ſenſe, as the notion of a Virgin ſignifieth a ſolute or ſingle perſon; but yet they may be ſo in another ſenſe, as the notion of a Virgin ſignifieth one that is pure and chaſt. But now, if you can imagine a Woman married to a Beaſt, or married inceſtuouſly, this marriage would ſpoil her Virginity in the faireſt notion of it. The Soul married to Chriſt, is yet a Virgin, for ſhe is married but to one Husband, and him the proper Husband for a poor Soul, ſo that that Soul is yet a Virgin. But now the voluptuous ſenſual Soul, that is united to a baſe and ſordid luſt; or the covetous worldly Soul, that is united to the gain and filthy lucre of the world, is no Virgin, no more than an inceſtuous Wife is in any notion a Virgin; and how many of theſe are to be found in the Tents of perſons profeſſing to Religion! How many Demas's, who have forſaken and forgotten their Religion, and have embraced the preſent World? Judas's, who have betrayed their Maſter and their Brethren for a few pieces of Silver? Surely the Soul, the high-born Soul of man, is of too noble an extract, too ſpiritual a ſubſtance to be united to the Earth. This is certainly a forbidden Relation. Love not the world (ſaith the Apoſtle) nor the things of the world; yet never were more to be found amongſt ſuch who are called Chriſtians.
Thirdly, Marriage doth not alwaies ſpoil Virginity, as it ſignifies Chaſtity: But an heart equally cleaving and inclining to two men will; eſpecially if byaſt to him who is not the Woman's Husband. She that hath one true and proper Husband, and yet loveth another equally with him, or more than he, hath loſt her Virgin-heart. Ah! how many of theſe are there amongſt Profeſſors? they are married to Chriſt in the face of the Church; they were baptized into his Name, and are under Vows to be the Lord's: But as God ſaid of old concerning Ephraim; Their heart is divided, and therefore they muſt be found faulty. Ah! How many are there that have divided hearts? that halt between two Opinions, and are not able to conclude with themſelves, whether Baal be God, and they ſhould ſerve him; or God be God, and they ſhall ſerve him? Nay, they halt between two Converſations; ſomething there is of Heaven in them, but alas! how much of the Earth? how much of ſin, folly, and vanity? how much of contradiction to their Profeſſion? where's a Chriſtian Caleb to be found to walk with God fully?
Fourthly, If we have ſome that are Virgins, yet how few beautiful Virgins? where's the beauty, the glory of Profeſſors? where's their former ſhining out before men? Ah! call your Children Ichabods; call them Ichabods. The Glory is departed in a great meaſure from England, from the Profeſſing Party of England. Where's the former ſincerity, love to God, zeal for God, plainneſs of heart, ſincerity of converſation, brotherly love, heavenly walking? the World, the vanities of the World, have ſpoiled Profeſſors beauty. The Sun of a little outward proſperity hath ſhone upon them, how are they tanned?
Uſe 2.But in the next place this diſcourſe offers us a fair opportunity to try our Relation to Chriſt, whether we be the Lambs Wife, who ſhall hereafter follow him whitherſoever he goes. 1. Are you Spiritual Virgins? There are tokens of Spiritual as well as Natural Virginity. 1. Purity, and Chaſtity, in heart, as well as outward appearance; Bleſſed are they (ſaith our Saviour) who are pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God; is not thy heart defiled, with ſenſual affections, impetuous paſſions, doth not thy Soul cleave to ſin, and luſt? 2. Doſt thou live like a Virgin, an hidden life? doth not the world ſee all that thou haſt of a Spiritual life, doſt thou not like the Phariſees, love to pray ſtanding in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the Streets, more than with thy doors ſhut about thee, in thy cloſet? liveſt thou any thing of that life which is hid with Chriſt in God? is it thy only and greateſt care to pleaſe thy heavenly Father, and Chriſt thy great Lord and Maſter? 3. Where's thy modeſty; the Virgin bluſheth preſently, when any thing is reflected upon her. Art thou aſhamed when thou committeſt iniquity, and thy heart reflects it upon thee, or haſt thou a Whores fore-head, that cannot bluſh? I might inſtance in many particulars more, but theſe are enough to try thy Spiritual Virginity.
2. A ſecond note of the Spouſe of Chriſt ariſing from this Text, is a love to Chriſt; Love is a natural plant, and groweth in every Soul, but love to Chriſt is a plant from Heaven, heavenly, a plant ſprung up from the ſeed of God in the Soul. If Chriſt ſhould from Heaven propo und the fame queſtion to thee, which while he was on Earth he propounded to Peter, couldſt thou anſwer with him, Lord! Thou that knoweſt all things, knoweſt that I love thee. This Grace of all others is moſt diſcernable, for love is of an active nature, and will hardly lie hid. The pantings of thy heart after him, the acquieſcence, complacency, and delight of thy heart in him, will eaſily diſcover it to thee if thou lookeſt narrowly. The natural man cannot ſay, that his Soul cleaveth to Chriſt, or thirſteth after Chriſt, or taketh any complacency in the Lord Chriſt.
Thirdly. As God is the fountain of good, and bleſſing to his Creatures, and as Chriſt hath a fair inheritance of a Crown, anMulti cupiu…t con-regnare, non compati. Bernard in Cant. Ser. 21. Heaven, an incomprehenſible glory which is annexed to the fruition and enjoyment of him, ſo the worſt of men may have a kind of love for Chriſt, or rather, for what he bringeth along with himſelf unto the Soul.
Laſtly, Therefore, Doſt thou love Chriſt for the ſavour of his good Ointments; becauſe his name is an Oil, or Ointment poured forth? He that loveth Chriſt meerly for his Heaven, and Glory, is purely ſelfiſh in his love. I deny not but Moſes had an Eye to the recompence of reward, and ſo hath every honeſt and gracious heart; without doubt Chriſts beneficence, and goodneſs unto us, and the benefit which our Souls have, and hope to have from Chriſt is, and ought to be a very great attractive, and to draw out our hearts more, and more in love to Chriſt, but herein is the purity of the Saints love; he diſcovereth ſuch an excellency in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that were he never to have an Heaven with him, yet his heart would cleave to him, & infinitely delight in him; if thou canſt ſay, that thou thus loveſt the Lord Jeſus, it will indeed ſpeak thee to be a Spiritual Virgin, a Spouſe to the Lord Jeſus.
Uſe 3. Exhort.I ſhall conclude my diſcourſe upon this verſe with a threefold word of Exhortation.
1. In the firſt place methinks from this metaphorical expreſſion of Saints under the notion of Virgins, I have here a fair opportunity to plead with Virgins to be Saints; Virgins (generally) have the object of their love to ſeek; Lo here a moſt deſerving object for every young man, every young woman that heareth me. Methinks the holy Spirit points out this in the Metaphor Therefore do the Virgins love thee; Chriſt here expreſſeth himſelf under the notion of ſome beautiful young man, beautified, and adorned with all the advantages both of nature, and of art; So that the Virgins muſt love him. I noted to you before that ſome would have the term foreign to be rather a term of age, then either ſignifying Sex or State: oh that I could this day prevail with you who are young men and young women, to love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Youth is an age, a time of love, full of love, but it uſually miſpends its ſelf upon vain, and worthleſs objects, the young man loves his luſts, and his pleaſures, the young woman loveth dancings, and fooliſh ſports, and vain company, and gay and coſtly attire, but how rare is it to find a young man or woman that ſincerely loveth the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? truly amongſt young or old, there is hardly one of a thouſand, but of thoſe that are in the height and heat of their youth hardly one of ten thouſand. It is too frequent for us, to give our marrow to the Devil, and then think to put off God with the bone. O deſperate folly and preſumption! offer this now to thy Prince, will he accept it? canſt thou expect Sinner that Chriſt ſhould freely love thee when thou art grown old, who refuſedſt him when thou wert young? canſt thou reaſonably think that God will be put off with the fag end of thy life, doſt thou not know how hardly an old ſinner is brought to repentance? ſin is bred and ſed in his bones, and it will not out, art thou aware how acceptable to God the ſacrifice of thy youth is? under the old law no Sacrifice was admitted that was above three years old. Doſt not thou remember how kindly God accepted his young. Samuel, Abijam, Joſiah, Timothy, &c. who in their youth inclined their hearts unto him? doth the good nature and handſome features, and ſweet perfumes of the young man pleaſe thee, and is there no excellency in the Graces of him who is full of Grace and Truth? is there no ſavour in Chriſts Ointments? no ſweet Odour from his name poured forth! O come you that are Virgins, behold your Huſband! an Husband, who if you be poor, is able to enrich you, if you be mean and baſe, is able to honour, and to ennoble you, who, (what ever you want) is able to ſupply you. O that upon the pouring forth of his name amongſt you in this Sermon this day, ſome of your ſouls this day might be allured to love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Br. 2.Secondly, This notion obligeth all thoſe that be Saints, or profeſs themſelves ſuch, to approve themſelves to be Virgins, the holy Spirit hath ſo called them; certainly it ſhould be their great care to anſwer their name. To keep themſelves, unſpotted from the world, undefiled in the way; free from the pollution of the world through luſt. I have toldyou that there are many, who go for Virgins, but are not, they are wedded to ſome filthy luſt or other, wedded to the world, defloured by entertainnig ſome corrupt & dangerous principles, or declining to a corrupt converſation; we live in a debauched, & a debauching age, you that ſtand, take heed leſt you fall.
1. If you loſe your Virginity, you loſe your honour. The young Womans Virginity is her honour, your freedom from idolatry and ſuperſtition; your ſoundneſs in the faith, your purity, integrity, and holineſs of life is your honour, Hold faſt that thou haſt (ſaith Chriſt to the Church of Philadelphia, Rev. 3. 11.) that no man take thy Crown; he who deſpoileth you of your purity of Doctrine, and Worſhip, or who ſeduceth you to any licentious practices, takes away your Crown, yea not only your Crown in reſpect of reputation, but your Crown of Glory alſo. John, Rev. 14. 1. Saw a Lamb ſtanding upon Mount Sion, and with him 144000, having his Fathers name written upon their foreheaas; and v. 2. heard a voice from Heaven, &c. and they (the 144000) ſang as it were a new Song before the Throne, and the four Beaſts, and the Elders, and no man could learn that Song but the 144000. which were redeemed from the Earth. v. 4. It followeth: Theſe are they which were not defiled with Women, for they are Virgins, theſe are they which follow the Lamb, whitherſoever he goeth, theſe were redeemed from amongſt men, being the firſt fruits unto God, and to the Lamb, and in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without ſault before the Throne of God; not defiled with Women. Non polluti idololatriá, quae eſt ſcortat io ſpiritualis ſed virgines fide & ſpiritu, (ſaith Pareus) not defiled by idolatry, which is a ſpiritual Adultery, but Virgins in Spirit and Faith.
Secondly, Conſider, if you loſe your chaſtity. It will be an hard matter to reconcile you to your firſt Husband. If the Virgin be known to have loſt her Virginity, it is no eaſy matter to procure her an Husband of any reputation; if the Wife hath loſt her Virginity (that is her chaſtity) it is an hard matter to reconcile her to her Husband; If a man put away his Wife, and ſhe go from him, ſhall he return to her again? Jer. 3. 1. It is true, the mercies of God are above the mercies of men, it follows there; yet return unto me (ſaith the Lord;) but it is no eaſy matter for a lapſed Saint to recover his peace; many a Bone muſt be firſt broken, and if ſuch be ſaved, it muſt be as through fire. It is a dreadful Text which you have, Heb. 6. 5, 6. O keep your integrity, and behave your ſelves like Virgins, live an hidden life more and more to God, and Chriſt, more and more reſerved from the world; learn what this meaneth, Our life is hid with Chriſt in God. Be like Virgins, careful in nothing, ſave only to pleaſe Chriſt, who is your ſpiritual Husband, let your behaviour ſpeak your Virginmodeſty; and that you may keep your Virgin State, and behaviour. 1. Take heed of Books, that will principle you to a Spiritual Fornication. There are 2 ſorts of Books in the world, which help much to debauch it. 1. Amorous Books full of laſcivious Songs, and filthy ſtories. 2. Heretical Books. The firſt debauch People as to their bodies: the latter as to their faith and immortal Souls. 2. Take heed of Whoriſh Company. The Chaſt Virgin is often ſpoiled by unchaſt Society. Dinah went abroad into wanton company, and was deflowred. If ſhe had kept her Fathers houſe, ſhe had probably kept her honour. How many Chriſtians are defiled both in Judgment and Practice, by keeping company with Papiſts, Quakers, Socinians, &c.
Br. 3.Laſtly, O love the Lord all his Saints for the ſavour of his Ointments; for the ſweetneſs of his Name, which is as an Ointment poured forth. The beſt are prone to love Chriſt only for the Peace of Conſcience which they have, upon their Juſtification by his blood, and for the Heaven they ſhall have hereafter for his ſake. His Glory is exceeding ſweet. This Love is not to be faulted; but I would work my own heart, and have you ſtudy to work up your hearts to an higher pitch. Labour to be like Angels. The Angels were never Redeemed with the Blood of Chriſt, never knew what trouble of Conſcience meant: They have a natural right to Heaven, yet they love, admire, adore Chriſt; they are rational, though ſpiritual Subſiſtences. What maketh them to love Chriſt but the perfections and excellencies which they ſee in him. Let us ſtudy to be like Angels, to get up our hearts to ſuch a ſpiritual pitch as this; to love Chriſt for the excellency of his perſon for the ſavour of his good Ointments. I ſhall add no more to this Diſcourſe. I have now done with this third Verſe.