The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 12
Sermon XII.
Canticles 1. 2.
For thy Loves are better than Wine.
I Am now come to the laſt propoſition I obſerved from theſe words, which I told you might be either conſidered, As a Reaſon why ſhe deſired the tokens of Chriſts diſtinguiſhing loves, (a reaſon drawn from her knowledge and experience of the goodneſs, the tranſcendent goodneſs of them. In this notion I have already ſpoken to the propoſition ariſing from them, Or, 2. As an argument of her petition by which ſhe pleadeth with God, for the thing which ſhe deſired. An argument drawn from the value ſhe ſet upon his love. From whence reſults this propoſition.
Prop. 10. That our value, and eſtimate of the love of Chriſt above all other things is an excellent argument for a Soul to uſe with God for the obtaining of it.
An argument is a mean brought either to prove a propoſition, or to move the Affections. The Logicians bring arguments to prove the juſt connexion of Subjects, and Predicates in propoſitions. The Orator uſeth them to move mens wills and affections, the buſineſs of the Soul with God in any prayer, is the buſineſs of an Orator; the Arguments he hath to uſe, are ſuch as may move God to beſtow the good things upon him which he deſireth. If you obſerve all the prayers of the Servants of God upon Sacred Record, you ſhall find them much to conſiſt of Requeſts, or Petitions, and arguments backing, or inforcing thoſe requeſts. Theſe arguments you will obſerve drawn from ſeveral heads. Sometimes from the Nature of God. Sometimes from their relation unto him. Sometimes from the promiſes made in the caſe. Sometimes from the greatneſs of their miſery. Sometimes from Gods Power and the freeneſs of his Grace. Pſal. 25. 7. According to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodneſs ſake O Lord. Sometimes from their faith, alliance to, and dependance upon God, Pſal. 25. 2. O my God I truſt in thee, let me not be aſhamed. So from various other heads, I ſay amongſt others: A Souls juſt prizing and valuing of the loves of Chriſt, is an excellent argument for a Soul to uſe to inforce a petition for them.
2. The goodneſs or badneſs, the ſtrength or weakneſs of an argument derives wholly from its ſubſerviency to its end, its cogency, or no cogency. The End here aimed at is by prayer to obtain the loves of Chriſt, ſo as the goodneſs of the arguments to be uſed in this caſe depends upon the force they have with God to move him to grant the requeſts of our lips.
3. Perſuaſive arguments have their force either upon a natural account, and that is moſtly from the infirmity of our Natures, which renders them ſubject to be affected with fine words, paſſionate expreſſions; we muſt not imagine that God can be moved with any ſuch thing, and therefore fine phraſes in prayer are very inſignificant things: Or elſe upon a moral and rational account. As now amongſt men, if one can come to another, requeſting a favour from him, and ſay, Sir, you promiſed it me, there is a force in this argument, upon a moral and rational account, ſuch an argument is this, in this caſe. If a Soul can go to God pleading for the manifeſtations of his love unto it, and truly tell him, that it valueth his love and favour above all created comforts, tho the bare naming of this, and delivering it in fine, ſignificant words will do nothing with God in order to the obtaining of it, nay though this affection and temper of our Souls, can merit no influence of grace from God, yet conſidering the perſections of the Divine Nature, and the obligations which God hath laid upon himſelf. It will have a great moral vertue, and efficacy, and be of great force with him for the obtaining the influences of Divine Grace, and the communications of his love.
Hence I ſhall deſire you in the firſt place, to obſerve what frequent uſe the People of God have made of it in their applications to the Throne of Grace. David eſpecially, Pſal. 42. 1, 2, 3. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, ſo panteth my Soul after thee O God; my Soul thirſteth for God, the Living God, when ſhall I come and appear before thee, O God? His Requeſt there lies in the laſt words, That he might come and appear before God, the Argument he uſeth is from the value he had for ſuch a mercy, ſo as the Hart did not more pant after the water-brooks. The ſame Argument he uſeth, and much in the ſame caſe, Pſal. 84. 1, 2. The great Petition of that Pſalm was for a liberty again to enjoy God in his Ordinances; what is the Argument he uſeth to enforce this Petition? How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hoſts? V. 1. My Soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord; my heart and my fleſh cryeth out for the Living God. So he goes on in a variety of Phraſes, all expreſſing but his great value and eſtimate of ſuch a mercy, to that degree that he preferreth the condition of a poor Sparrow, or Swallow to his own in the want of it. You have him uſing the ſame Argument again, Pſal 63. 1, 2, 3. O God thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee; my Soul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirſty Land, where no water is. To ſee thy Power, and thy Glory, as I have ſeen Thee in the Sanctuary. Becauſe thy loving kindneſs is better than life. The Petition is much the ſame, and the Argument the ſame. I might inſtance in many other places of the Pſalms, but this is ſufficient: And certainly this were enough, if no more could be ſaid to juſtifie this Propoſition. That Argument which the man according to God's own heart uſed, and ſo often uſed, is certainly a good Argument, and of due force and efficacy; but this was an Argument he often made uſe of. But I ſhall further ſhew you the value of this Argument from Reaſon.
Firſt, This Argument ſpeaketh Chriſt in the Soul. What the Apoſtle ſaith in another caſe, No man calleth Jeſus Chriſt Lord but from the Spirit, may be applied in this. No man can truly ſay that he prizeth the Loves of Chriſt above Wine, above all created comforts whatſoever, but from the Spirit; none but the true Chriſtian, the truly ſpiritual man, ſets any conſiderable value upon Chriſt's Loves. To you that believe (ſaith the Apoſtle) he is precious. Now what Joſeph ſaid to his Brethren of Benjamin: Bring your Brother Benjamin, or ſee my face no more. God hath ſaid to every one of us, Bring Chriſt with you, or ſee not my face. We are all tranſgreſſors from the womb, and God heareth not ſinners for their own ſakes, but for Chriſt's ſake; therefore we are commanded to ask in Chriſt's Name. God indeed as our Father by Creation may hear us crying for temporal good things in the day of our wants; ſo he heareth the young Ravens when they cry for food to him. But we are bleſſed with Spiritual Bleſſings in Chriſt, and upon the account of Chriſt; he giveth the firſt grace upon the account of Chriſt's Interceſſion pleading for the Application of the purchaſed Redemption. He giveth further grace upon the account of Chriſt's Interceſſion for us, and the Spirit's Interceſſion for us: For we know not what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit it ſelf maketh Interceſſion for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered; and he that ſearcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, becauſe he maketh Interceſſion for the Saints according to the Will of God, Rom. 8. 26, 27. Now a due eſtimate and value of the Love of Chriſt in a Soul, is an Indication of the Spirit of Chriſt dwelling in the Soul; hence it muſt needs be an Argument of force with God; for he that ſearcheth the heart, knoweth the mind of the Spirit, making Interceſſion for the Saints, according to the will of God.
Secondly, The force of this Argument lies here, in that it layeth hold upon many Promiſes. The Promiſes are but as ſo many Bonds in which God hath made himſelf a Debtor to his Creatures. All Promiſes oblige the truth and faithfulneſs of thoſe perſons that make them: God being the true and faithful One, cannot lye; He is faithful that hath promiſed (ſaith the Apoſtle;) ſo that if it be a ſufficient Argument to uſe with a man to obtain any thing we would have, to tell him, He hath promiſed it, it holdeth towards God more ſtrongly, as his truth and faithfulneſs is much more certain and infallible than any Creature is. Beſides that, it is a further advantage when Promiſes are made upon a due and juſt conſideration; for theſe is not only the truth, but the juſtice alſo of the perſon promiſing is concerned to the fulfilling of them. Hence in Scripture you ſhall ordinarily find the Servants of God pleading the Word, the Covenant of God, ſpoken to, and made with them, Pſal. 119. 49. Remember thy Word unto thy Servant, upon which thou haſt cauſed me to hope; and in many other Texts of Scripture. I ſay, when a Soul can go to God, and ſay in truth, that he valueth his love and favour above Wine, above Life, above all created comforts, this Argument layeth hold upon ſeveral Promiſes of God. I will a little enlarge upon this: …. It layeth hold upon a Promiſe of filling and ſatisfaction, Matth. 5. 6. Bleſſed are they who hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſs, for they ſhall be filled. It is a mighty large and comprehenſive Promiſe. To fill a Soul with the influences of Divine Love, is a very great thing. It is not eaſie to fill the covetous man with Wealth; but he may be ſooner fill'd with Riches, than the Soul of a good man with the Love and Grace of God. But here is a Promiſe of being filled: Open thy mouth wide (ſaith God) and I will fill it. To whom is this Promiſe made? To him that hungers and thirſteth after Righteouſneſs. Righteouſneſs is Grace, whether you take it for the Righteouſneſs of Juſtification, the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, in which every Soul muſt ſtand righteous before God: Or the Righteouſneſs of Sanctification, habits and acts of Holineſs wrought in us, and done by us, they are both from Grace, from the free Love of God ſhining upon our Souls. He that hungers and thirſts after it, is he that intenſely deſires it. Hunger and thirſt are natural paſſions ariſing in us from our want of due aliment; nature inforcing in us a ſenſe of that want, (and of all other) they are the moſt vehement. Thence our Engliſh Proverb, Hunger will break through ſtone walls; and experience tells us, to what hard things theſe paſſions have brought people, not only to eat Carrion, but to kill and eat their own Children; yea the fleſh of their own Arms; ſo as hungring and thirſting after Righteouſneſs, importeth vehement deſires after Grace, which deſires teſtifie the Soul's eſtimate of it, and value for it; and to thoſe who thus hunger and thirſt the Promiſe is made, that they ſhall be filled.
Again, ſuch a Soul hath a right to thoſe Promiſes of all Grace propounded in the moſt large and comprehenſive terms, and general phraſes; as where God promiſeth a new heart, the water of life, his coming unto Souls, dwelling in them, abiding with them. The Soul that can go to God; and truly ſay,, that he prizeth the Loves of Chriſt above all things, layeth hold of all theſe Promiſes of which the holy Scriptures are full, Iſa. 55. 1, 2. Ho every one that thirſteth, come you to the waters, and buy, without money, and without price, buy wine and milk. So Rev. 22. 17. Let him that is athirſt come, and whoſoever will, let him drink of the water of life freely. Joh. 14. 23. If any man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. So v. 21. He that loveth me, ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifeſt my ſelf to him. Theſe now, and ſuch like, are general Promiſes comprehenſive of all the Love of Chriſt to the Soul, in the various manifeſtations of it, according to the Soul's diverſified neceſſities, with reſpect to its ſeveral circumſtances. Now obſerve to whom theſe Promiſes are made, to thoſe that love Chriſt, and in evidence of that love, hunger and thirſt after him, to them the Promiſes are made, 1. That the Father will love that man or woman. 2. That both Chriſt, and his Father, will come unto him. 3. That they will manifeſt themſelves unto them; that they will dwell, and make their abode with them. That they ſhall have Wine and Milk without money and price. Now I appeal to any ordinary capacity, what evidence of Love any Soul can give greater, than the valuing of his Loves above all other things. So that, where this can be ſaid in truth to God, God is challenged upon a multitude of Promiſes, even ſo many as are made, to the Love of God, and Chriſt, and to the Soul's hungrings and thirſtings after him. Nay, there is yet another ſort of Promiſes, which ſuch a Soul challengeth, viz. all thoſe Promiſes of a further ſupply and increaſe of Grace to thoſe that have the Seed of Grace: As Matth. 13. 12. To him that hath ſhall be given, and he ſhall have in more abundance. I might add many more of like nature; but there is hardly any of you but know how to furniſh your ſelves with them. Now where the Soul can challenge God upon a Promiſe, and lay claim to the mercy which it asketh, from an obligation which God by his Word hath laid upon himſelf, to give it: This is a great Argument, for it toucheth God upon the account of his Truth and Faithfulneſs.
3. Further yet this argument toucheth God as he is a tender Father. God (you know) to let us know his heart to his poor Creatures, amongſt other names of relation hath taken to him that of a Father, to let us know there is in his gracious nature ſomething analogous or proportionable to the heart and bowels of Earthly Parents to their Children, and accordingly our Saviour argues, that if any of our Children ask of us bread, we will not give them a Stone, nor a Scorpion inſtead of Fiſh, and thence concludeth, that if we being evil know how to give good things to our Children, much more will our Heavenly Father give good things to them that ask him. You, many of you know the heart of a Father. To which of you would it not be a great argument, to draw you out to any acts by which you could manifeſt your loves to a Child, for your Child to come, and beg your love to it, telling you, that it valueth your love above all things in the world, that it had rather have your love, your heart towards it, than have all the eſtate you can give it? Shall there not be ſomething in the heart of God proportionated to this affection in your hearts? Is it poſſible that a Child of God, ſhould come to God, and in ſincerity ſay to him; Father! I beg ſome tokens of thy ſpecial diſtinguiſhing love to my Soul, thou that knoweſt all things, knoweſt that I love thee, and that my Soul doth value thy loves above all that the world affords, and Gods heart ſhould not yearn, and his bowels melt towards ſuch a Soul? God muſt ſay of the voice of ſuch a Soul, as Iſaac ſometimes ſaid, It is the voice of my Son Jacob. None but a Child can ſpeak ſuch a language.
4. Finally. No arguments can be of more force to uſe with God, than ſuch wherein the Intereſt of his own glory is concerned. The Glory of God being his own great end, which he purſueth in all his actions, he uſeth a great argument to God, that ſaith unto him, Father glorify thy ſelf. So gracious is God, that he gives us leave to fetch arguments from our ſelves, our own wants, and the miſery we are in, which arguments affect God, as he is a God full of pity and tender compaſſion. But thoſe arguments which we can fetch from the Intereſt of his own glory, ſeem to have a greater force, as complying with what is the Lords great and chiefeſt end. He that ſets an high value and eſtimate upon the love of Chriſt, giveth God a great deal of Glory, preferring him to all things in the world, for God cannot be more glorified by the Creature, than to be in heart eſteemed above, and preferred to the whole Creation. So as that Soul that goeth to God with this argument, doth in effect ſay; Father! my Soul hath glorified thee upon the Earth, and doth give thee the glory of being the moſt excellent object, and more deſirable than all the world beſides. Now therefore glorify thy ſelf in manifeſting of thy love to me, that I may further exalt thee in thy rich and free Grace. I now come to the application.
Uſe 1.By way of Inſtruction, firſt, we may obſerve, That the meaneſt Child of God is furniſhed with a better argument to encourage his hopes in his addreſſes to the throne of Grace, than the greateſt and proudeſt Sinner in the world hath. There are arguments, which Sinners may uſe, from the infiniteneſs, and freeneſs of the divine bounty and goodneſs, from their relation to God, as his Creatures, from the greatneſs of their miſery, &c. and they may obtain ſomething from God upon theſe pleas, from that infinite goodneſs, and compaſſion that is in the Divine Nature; but no unregenerate man can uſe this argument which hath in it a much greater force. On the other ſide, there is no the meaneſt child of God, not the meaneſt believer that is in the world but hath this argument to uſe with God. Other arguments may be of avail with God for the obtaining ſome good things of this life, this is of force for the obtaining thoſe of higheſt conſequence relating to the internal, and eternal happineſs of the Soul.
Uſe 2.Secondly, This offers us a great incouragement to examine our ſelves upon this point, Whether we have a due eſtimate of the loves of Chriſt, Whether we can truly ſay to our bleſſed Lord, That his loves are better than Wine, and that we value them not only above all ſenſual ſatisfactions, which the profane ſcandalous Sinner doeth not, but above all ſenſible ſatisfactions, which no unregenerate carnal man doth. I remember when our Saviour examined Peter about his love to him, he propounded to him this queſtion, Joh. 21. 15. Simon Peter loveſt thou me more than theſe? I do know that many Interpreters by [theſe] in that Text underſtand his other Diſciples ſtanding by. There was a time when Peter preferred himſelf (as to his love towards his Maſter) to all the other Diſciples: Tho (ſaith he) all ſhould deny thee, yet I would not deny thee. Peter ſince that time was humbled, our Saviour had a mind that his humility ſhould be manifeſted, and therefore (ſay ſome) he propoundeth that queſtion to him: but I remember Bernard in one of his Sermons upon the Canticles puts another ſenſe upon the words, Loveſt thou me more than thou loveſt theſe? and ſo it may be referred either to the company with whom he was, or to the diverſion of fiſhing, they were employed in, or to the great draught of fiſh, which they had taken. I do but allude to the text, who ſo truly loveth the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, if all the perſons, and things in the world were before him, muſt be able to ſay, I love Chriſt more than theſe. Admit his friends and neareſt relations to be in his Eye, all the pleaſant and delectable things in the world, all the Crowns and Scepters, and honours in the world, all the Gold, and Silver, and Houſes, and Lands in the world in his Eye: He muſt be able to ſay, I love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt more than theſe; yea if his own life be ſet before him, not to be enjoyed without the loſs of Chriſts love, he muſt be able to ſay that he loves Chriſt more than that, Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me, and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me, is not worthy of me, Lu. 14. 26. If any man come to me, and hate not his Father and Mother, and Wife, and Children, and Brethren, and Siſters, yea and his own life alſo, he cannot be my Diſciple. But I have formerly given you ſome directions how to try your ſelves, whether the loves of Chriſt in the apprehenſion of your Souls are good before Wine, and ſhall therefore add no more on this argument.
Uſe 3.In the third place; This notion may be of great uſe to relieve Chriſtians doubting whether they have any one good Argument to uſe with God in their applications to him. 2. Whether any of their Prayers have at any time pierced the Heavens, and been accepted of God. A good Chriſtian is often doubting, whether he may go to God or no; whether he hath one good Argument to uſe, which may be of avail with God. We have many words to ſay, many Arguments to uſe; and when it is a clear day with the Soul, it can eaſily diſcern it, and fill its mouth with words of ſeveral natures; but in a dark day, under the prevailings of Melancholy, or boiſterous Temptations, it can find many Arguments to deter it from Addreſſes to God, its own vileneſs and unworthineſs conſidered with God's purity and holineſs, the multitude of its ſins, its former Prayers (as it fancieth) lying by not anſwered, but it cannot find one Argument to incourage it. But every Chriſtian hath at all times many Arguments, if he could diſcern them. David made his vileneſs and unworthineſs an Argument, Pſal. 25. Pardon mine iniquity (ſaith he) for it is great. That's an Argument all have, and at all times. Ah! but (ſaith the Soul) this is no other than the vileſt perſon hath: He may plead the freeneſs of Divine Grace. The Soul that goeth to God for Free Grace, can never want an Argument, but ſtill this is common, and no more encouraging a Believer, than another man. We may plead our own miſery, and ſad ſtate; miſery is the object of Grace and Mercy; but ſtill this is common. The vileſt ſinner may go and plead with God for mercy, becauſe his ſtate is miſerable. A true Chriſtian would have an Argument of a more ſpecial nature, and ſuch a one as in the uſe of, he could go boldly and with confidence to the Throne of Grace. Admitting this Propoſition, every good Chriſtian hath ſuch an Argument; ſuch an Argument as no unregenerate man hath, ſuch an Argument as he may go to God with, with boldneſs and confidence: God was never yet wanting to the truly hungring and thirſty Soul after his Love; ſuch an Argument as if pleaded with God, and being in truth, alwaies prevailed with God.
Uſe 4.I ſhall ſhut up this Diſcourſe with ſome few words of Exhortation.
1. To all: To labour to bring up their hearts to this, to prize the favour of God above all other things whatſoever. How you ſhall know whether your hearts be brought up to it or no, I have before ſhewed you; but ſuffer me here to give you ſome Directions in the caſe, and to preſs it with ſome Arguments. Until we do find that our Souls do ſet ſuch an eſtimate upon the Loves of Chriſt, we can never uſe it as an Argument with God. This is therefore the firſt thing which we have to do, to be reſtleſs till we find that we can ſay it in truth, that we value Chriſt's Loves above all earthly things. Nor will this ever be effectually done, till the holy Spirit of God comes upon our hearts with its impreſſions and demonſtrations; all that we can do will bear no more than the notion of means in order to that bleſſed end. Of that nature much may be directed.
Firſt, Let thy Soul and its immortal ſtate, with its condition referring to that ſtate, be much in thy thoughts. It is one great reaſon why men neglect and are careleſs as to the Loves of Chriſt, becauſe they do not remember they have immortal Souls, nor conſider any future ſtate, or their own circumſtances relating to it. Men know that they have bodies, and experience hunger, and thirſt, and cold, and ſo are very buſie in taking care what they ſhall eat, and drink, and put on, but they do not know, at leaſt they do not attend to their knowledge of it, and have no certain knowledge and perſuaſion that they have immortal Souls, that can no more die with the body, than eat, drink, or ſleep with it, ſo as they take no further care than for their outward man. Neither do they attend to the conſideration of the condition of their Souls with reſpect to an eternal exiſtence, but run away with preſumptuous fancies that God will not ſuffer them to periſh for ever; determining concerning their Souls according to their fancies, and the dictates of their own vitiated reaſon, not according to the revelations of the Divine Will; would men think more of their Souls, and conſider the immortality of them, would they determine concerning them, according to Divine Revelation, it were impoſſible they ſhould ſo far, as generally they do, neglect the care of them. They would quickly ſee that all the good things of the world could not affect the Soul with any good, and therefore muſt needs be invaluable things compared with thoſe things that will ſecure the Souls happineſs both here and for ever. If men believed they had immortal Souls, their reaſon would teach them quickly to conclude that they are better than the body, which is but earth, and which muſt return to duſt and conſequently whatſoever is good for the Soul, muſt be infinitely more good than what only ſerveth the neceſſities of our earthly part, and that neither but for a little time. But the truth is, as the Fool hath ſaid in his heart there is no God: So he hath alſo ſaid in his Heart, I have no Soul, no ſuch immortal ſubſtance as Preachers talk of, there is no ſuch thing as Heaven, or Hell; moſt unregenerate men are in their Hearts Atheiſts. The natural reaſon of all men teacheth them to look after their concerns and intereſts, and to prefer greater, before leſſer intereſts, and to value what makes for their greateſt intereſts, above what is only ſubſervient to an intereſt of leſſer value. Mens preference of created comforts before the loves of Chriſt proceedeth meerly from their ignorance, that they have Souls to look after, or at leaſt unbelief of it, if they notionally know it, their not underſtanding the nature, and ſpiritual concerns of their Souls, or at leaſt their erronious fancies and conceptions, of an univerſal Salvation of all, or all at leaſt that are baptized; the firſt thing to be done rationally to poſſeſs Men and Women of the excellency of Chriſts loves, above Wine, above all ſenſual things, or any ſenſible things, is to poſſeſs men of this knowledge, and to keep their Eyes waking to the conſideration of it, and to engage them to take their meaſures of theſe things from the revelation of the will of God, in his word, not from their own wild fancies, and ratiocinations.
Secondly, Poſſeſs your Souls of the impoſſibility of their receiving of any good, any thing ſuited to their neceſſities, but only from Chriſt. There is no other name given under Heaven, there is no Salvation in any other. The power over all Souls is committed unto Chriſt. The Father forgives Sins, but it is for Chriſt's ſake; as God for Chriſt's ſake hath forgiven you (ſaith the Apoſtle) we have Redemption, forgiveneſs of Sin through his blood. In him we have righteouſneſs, peace, through him we have acceſs, an entrance into the hol…eſt of all; the Father hath given unto him Eternal life, that he ſhould give it to whomſoever he pleaſeth. There is no good thing ſuited to a Souls wants, but it deriveth from Chriſt. Good things ſuited to the more external wants of our Body, derive from God as the great preſerver of man, and flow from that common providence of his which dayly worketh in the upholding and preſervation of created Beings; but good things for our Souls derive from Chriſt as Mediator, and as they are purchaſed by his blood, ſo they are diſpenſed out by his Spirit. This now can appear to a Soul from no other light but that of Revelation, ſtudy therefore the holy Scriptures, meditate therein night and day, they teſtify all this concerning Chriſt. A full perſuaſion of theſe two things, 1. That we have immortal Souls, ordained to an eternity, either of happineſs or miſery. 2. That nothing but the love of Chriſt can furniſh them with thoſe good things which are proper, and neceſſary for them, with reſpect to their Eternal Happineſs, are enough to convince Men and Women that the loves of Chriſt are as much better than Wine, and to be preferred to it, as the Soul is better than the Body, and the things ſuited to its wants, better than thoſe things which are only ſuited to the wants of the outward man. But ſtill I ſay, and every days experience, maketh it good, Non perſuaſeris etiamſi perſuaſeris, you ſhall not perſuade Men and Women, tho you ſay enough to perſuade them, though you ſhut up their mouths, and they having nothing to ſay, ſuch a power hath luſt in the heart of man, into ſuch a debauchery is the nature of man degenerated. Admitting men to believe, that they have immortal Souls, and that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, there is nothing in nature hath a fuller evidence than this truth, that the loves of Chriſt are preferrible to all things in the world, and a man cannot act like a reaſonable creature in preferring any thing unto them; yet who believes it? who lives up to this demonſtration? It is God muſt perſuade the Soul of this, and till the Soul hath this written and ingraven upon it by the finger of his Spirit, it will never ſo Judge. Laſtly therefore,
Pray mightily that God would open your Ears, to ſee this, and perſuade your Souls of the truth of it, for till he doth it, in vain are mens perſuaſions. To move you to it, conſider,
1. This will bear ſome proportion to the love of Chriſt to mankind. Chriſt loved us more than theſe, more than all the Kingdoms, and pleaſures and profits, and honours of the world, yea more than his own life, yea he preferred us to the Angels, the fallen Angels, for he took not upon him the nature of Angels, but the nature of man.
2. This will ſpeak the Soul to be a wiſe and underſtanding Soul. Certain it is (as I have already ſhewed you) that the loves of Chriſt are good before Wine. The wiſdom of a Soul lyeth much in a right diſcerning betwixt good and evil, and betwixt that which is good, and that which is more good or better. The excellency of a Soul lyeth in its conformity to God, he is an Atheiſt who owneth not God to be the firſt Being, and to be of all Beings, the moſt excellent, and perfect Being. So as neceſſarily, that Soul that comes neareſt in conformity to God, muſt be the moſt excellent Soul, now that Soul which acteth moſt up to the principles of improved and pure reaſon, and to the rule of that holy Writ, which we all confeſs to be the revealed Will of God, and liveth moſt up to the Divine Pattern, doing what God doth, that muſt needs be the moſt wiſe, excellent, underſtanding Soul. Now will not a little reaſon ſerve to convince us that Chriſt is the moſt excelling Object, and therefore to be preferred to all ſublunary enjoyments? Doth not the Scripture repreſent him to us as altogether deſires, as the chiefeſt of ten thouſand, as the well beloved of the Father in whom he is well pleaſed, as he whom we ought to love with all our heart, all our Soul, all our Strength? Doth not the Father, the Heavenly Father love him above all other objects? To which of the Angels ſaid he at any time. Thou art my Son, this day I have begotten thee; and again, I will be to him a Father, and he ſhall be to me a Son,—He was brought up with the Father, and daily his delight, rejoycing alwaies before him.
3. This will ſpeak an heavenly ſublimated Soul, purged from the dregs of ſenſuality and from an earthly mind, a Soul riſen with Chriſt, and ſeeking the things which are above, Col. 3. 1. The preference of Wine, any ſenſual ſatisfactions, or any ſenſible enjoyments to the loves of Chriſt, ſpeaks a dirty Soul, that feedeth upon carrion, and can be filled with wind.
Laſtly, You have heard what an argument this will ſupply a Soul with in all its addreſſes and applications to God for any grace or favour, no argument can be more moving, more prevailing with God, none that layeth hold upon more promiſes, or that toucheth God more as a tender Father. O therefore labour for this frame of Spirit, and give your Souls no reſt until you find that they indeed do prefer the love of Chriſt before all other things in Heaven and Earth.
Exh. 2. Br.Secondly, This notion calleth to all you who profeſs Godlineſs, and to any thing of the Spirit of Adoption, which teacheth to cry Abba Father, to take heed of a Carnal mind, an heart cleaving to any created comforts in exceſſive degrees, ſo as for the enjoyment of them, or any of them to run the hazard of the loves of Chriſt; you will by it prejudice your ſouls in a great argument, which you might uſe at the Throne of Grace. There are amongſt others, three diſtempers of heart, which thoſe that would do much with God in Prayer muſt take heed of.
1. A revengeful, not forgiving frame of Spirit. It is a dreadful Text, Mat. 6. 15. But if you forgive not men their treſpaſſes, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive you. Our Saviour hath taught us to pray, Forgive us our Debts, as we forgive our Debtors.
2. A doubting and unbelieving frame of Spirit. He that cometh unto God muſt believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that ſeek him, he that lifts up his hands unto God, muſt lift up pure hands, and that without doubting?
3. Thirdly, A Carnal heart, cleaving to the world, & preferring the things of the world, to the loves of Chriſt, & the good things of Grace.
3. Br.Laſtly. Is this ſuch an argument of force with God? Let then ſuch as can uſe it in truth make uſe of it, I doubt not but I ſpeak to many, who can in truth ſay, that they value the loves of Chriſt the tokens of his ſpecial, and diſtinguiſhing love above all earthly contentments; when you go to God plead this, take unto you words, and ſay, Lord, let me be made a partaker of thy ſpecial diſtinguiſhing love, thou knoweſt that my Soul valueth it above mountains of Gold, Rocks of Pearl, or ten thouſand Rivers of Oil.
Obj.But poſſibly ſome may ſay, This is to plead my own merit.
Sol.I anſwer, no, for conſider who it is that hath wrought in thy heart this value and eſteem. Is it not God? Did fleſh and blood reveal any ſuch thing unto thee; thou doſt not then plead thy own merit, thou only pleadeſt with God, from what he hath already wrought, and begun in thee.
2. It is but the pleading of the promiſe which God hath made to them that love him and keep his Commandments.
3. Neither doſt thou plead thy eſteem, and value for the loves of Chriſt, as meritorious, as thinking that thy prizing the loves of Chriſt, meriteth the further manifeſtations of them to thy Soul, thou only pleadeſt it as a gracious habit wrought in thy Soul, by which God hath fulfilled in thy Soul the condition of the promiſe; thou only beggeſt of God, that he who hath wrought in thy Soul that condition to which he hath annexed his promiſe, would now fulfil alſo that promiſe to thy Soul which is annexed to that condition.
Thus I have finiſhed the diſcourſes I deſigned upon the firſt Petition of the Spouſe as preſſed by her firſt Argument; Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his Mouth: For thy Loves are better than Wine.