The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 13
Sermon XIII.
Canticles 1. 3.
Becauſe of the ſavour of thy good Ointments: Thy name is as an Ointment poured forth, therefore do the Virgins love thee.
I Proceed to the next Propoſition, which I at firſt obſerved from theſe words, which I then largely opened.
Prop. 11.Chriſt hath good Ointments, which caſt a ſavour, my meaning is (according to my former explication of the words) That the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, is filled with the graces of the bleſſed Spirit, which in themſelves are as good Ointments, and whoſe excellency is diſcerned by every true Believer, by every Soul that is eſpouſed to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt (to uſe the Apoſtles phraſe, I have eſpouſed you to one Husband.) For a further diſcourſe upon this Propoſition, let me firſt ſhew you,
1. What I mean by Chriſts Grace, and when I ſay he is full of the Graces of the holy Spirit.
2. In what reſpects theſe graces are like to good Ointments.
3. What particular graces of the Spirit, are thus like to good Ointments.
4. Whence it is that they are diſcerned, and more effectually diſcerned by a gracious heart than another. We read in the Pſalmiſt that Chriſt was anointed mith the Oil of gladneſs above his fellows, Heb. 1. 3. That he was anointed with the Holy Ghoſt, and with power, Acts 10. 38. That phraſe in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews; borrowed out of Pſal. 45. as I ſhewed you, is excellently interpreted by John: God gave not the Spirit unto him by meaſure, Joh. 3. 34. The Grace of God was ſaid to be upon him, Luk. 2. 40. and he is ſaid to be full of Grace and Truth, Joh. 1. 14. Grace in Scripture, as it relateth unto God, is uſually taken in one of theſe two ſenſes:
1. For the favour, and free love of God by which a Perſon is accepted of God, and ſo Grace is in St. Pauls Epiſtles to the Romans and Galatians, and in his other Epiſtles oppoſed to works; thus we are Rom. 4. 4. Eph. 2. 5. Rom. 3. 24.ſaid to be juſtified by Grace, ſaved by Grace. In this ſenſe it is alſo in Scripture applied to Creatures; Eſther obtained Grace (that is favour) in the ſight of the King, Eſther 2. 17. and ſo in many other Texts. Or 2dly it is taken,
For ſome holy and virtuous qualities, and diſpoſitions, by which (our Perſons being firſt accepted in Chriſt) we are acceptable unto God: Thus it is ſaid, Joh. 1. 16. Of his fulneſs we have all received Grace for Grace; thus Love is called a Grace, 2▪ Cor. 8. 6. and in this ſenſe the Apoſtle telleth the Corinthians, God is able to make all Grace to abound to them, 2 Cor. 8. 9. In this ſenſe we are commanded to grow in Grace, that is in holy & virtuous diſpoſitions, or habits, 2 Pet. 3. 18. It is expounded by 2 Pet. 1. 5. Add to your … virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godlineſs; and to godlineſs, brotherly-kindneſs; and to brotherly-kindneſs, charity. The Grace of Chriſt is taken in a double ſenſe.
1. Subjectively, For that free love, and favour, which is ſubjected … Joh. 14. 15. Rom. 1▪ 7.in Chriſt, and being in him as its Fountain, floweth from him to cur Souls. In this ſenſe Chriſt is ſaid to be ſail of Grace, and truth, full of love, free love towards his Peoples Souls, and truly in this ſenſe Grace comes by Jeſus Chriſt, for out of him God loveth no Soul. In this ſenſe the Apoſtle wiſheth to the Romans, Grace and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Take Grace in this ſenſe, Chriſt is the Subject of it, and the medium by whom it floweth from the Eternal Father to the Children of men; he himſelf was from Eternity, beloved of God, and that both neceſſarily, and freely, being his Fathers Son, begotten from Eternity, the Father loved him, delighted in him; and indeed in this ſenſe Chriſt may be ſaid to have been the object of Grace, but he was not anointed with this in time, he had it from before all times, only as to the Grace of Ʋnion, the humane Nature, until Chriſt aſſumed it was not beloved of God, Chriſt aſſuming it, it became the object of this Grace.
2. But ſecondly the Grace of Chriſt is alſo taken objectively for that Grace which was poured out on Chriſt as Mediator, and this is either;
1. The Grace of Ʋnion, which is the free love of God aſſuming the humane nature into a perſonal union with the Divine Nature, in which thing God put a great deal of dignity upon, and ſhewed a great deal of love unto our Nature.
2. The grace of Sanctification, by which I underſtand not the ſame which the Children of God receive upon Regeneration, when of unholy they are made holy, of impure they are made pure, of proud they are made humble, &c. But thoſe holy diſpoſitions, and qualifications, which were found in Chriſt, conſidered as the Son of Man by vertue of the union of the Divine Nature, with the Humane Nature, and his anointing with the Holy Ghoſt (not given by meaſure unto him) by which he was not only acceptable to his Father as Mediator, but he is alſo exceeding lovely to his Saints. So that when I ſay Chriſt hath good Ointments; abundance of Grace; I underſtand,
1. Abundance of free love which dwelt in him as God over all bleſſed for ever, to be diſpenſed out according to the particular exigencies of all his Peoples Souls.
2. Many gracious diſpoſitions, which eminently dwelling in the God-Head from all Eternity, were alſo by the Spirit, poured out upon the Humane Nature in his Incarnation. Theſe are here called by a Metaphor Ointments, and good Ointments.
1. Becauſe by the communication of theſe from the Divine to the Humane Nature, in the perſonal union of both Natures in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Chriſt was ſanctified and ſet apart, and conſtituted as a perſon fit to be our High Prieſt and King.
This (as I told you in my laſt diſcourſe) was one of the ſacred uſes of Oil, which the Jews made, there was a ſweet anointing Oil, made by Gods ſpecial preſcript, for the conſecration of the High Prieſt, the Tabernacle, and their holy Utenſils; with this alſo they anointed their Kings. This did but typify the anointing of the Holy Ghoſt; and by the receiving of this Ʋnction Chriſt was conſtituted our High-Prieſt, and the King upon the Holy Hill of Sion. By the Grace of Hypoſtatical Ʋnion he was made ſo: I mean by the union of the Divine and Humane Nature in the one Perſon of Chriſt. Chriſt indeed had an Eſſential Kingdom, equal with the Father by his Eternal Generation, but he obtained his Mediatory Kingdom, by vertue of his Incarnation, and Ʋnction. The new and living way was conſecrated for us through the vail, that is to ſay, his fleſh, Thus he was made our High-Prieſt, our King, our Prophet; and by his gracious diſpoſitions and qualifications, he was made fit for a Mediator. For ſuch an High Prieſt became us, who is holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from Sinners, and made higher than the Heavens, who needed not daily as thoſe High Prieſts (under the law) to offer up Sacrifice, firſt for his own Sins, then for the People, &c. Heb. 7. 26. 27.
2. The Graces of Chriſt were like good Oils, or Ointments, as they were uſed in Sacrifice, they cannot indeed ſo properly be called a Sacrifice, but they were as the Oyl poured upon the meat offering. There is a diſpute whether the Paſſive Obedience of Chriſt only, or his Active obedience alſo, be imputed to us, and be our righteouſneſs; not to meddle with that, ſuppoſing his paſſive obedience to have alone been the Sacrifice, yet his Active obedience muſt be allowed, as the Oyl poured upon it. The meat offering was uſually ſome Beaſt or Bird ſlain, but then they were to come, and pour Oyl upon it. Chriſts death upon the Croſs was his offering: That was the Sacrifice, but his Graces were as the Oyl poured upon this offering, had not he that died been pure, and holy, righteous, and ſeparate from ſinners, meek, obedient, &c. he could not have been accepted for others, for he muſt have offered for himſelf, as the Apoſtle teacheth us, Heb. 7. 26, 27. Thus his perſonal graces, and perfections, were like good Oils, with reſpect to the uſe of Oil in Sacrifice, upon the account of them it was that he offered up to his Father a Sacrifice for the Sins of his People, which was acceptable.
Thirdly. The Perſonal Graces and perfections of Chriſt, were like good Oils for their ſweet ſavour. Theſe perfections are thoſe things which make the name, and perſon of Chriſt as a ſweet ſmelling ſavour in the Noſtrils of every underſtanding gracious Soul; what is it which maketh any Soul love Chriſt; what maketh its own private meditations of him, or the report which it receiveth of him, ſo exceeding ſweet to the Soul, but theſe excellencies and perfections, which are in him: His free, and infinite love, to the Sons and Daughters of Men, his pity and compaſſion, his ſlowneſs to conceive a wrath, and readineſs to forgive, his freeneſs to heal his Peoples backſlidings, his purity, and holineſs, his patience and meekneſs: Theſe are thoſe things which make Chriſt appear ſo lovely, and amiable to gracious Souls. Laſtly like good Oils, they ſerve the Soul for food. What doth a Soul that hungereth, and thirſteth after Righteouſneſs ſeed upon, but the Righteouſneſs of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? (ſome indeed have found a Righteouſneſs of their own to feed upon, but I doubt whether thoſe Souls that feed on nothing elſe will appear fair, and well liking in the great day of the Lord:) Suppoſe a Soul pined away in the ſenſe of its iniquities, what doth it live upon, but only the free Grace and mercy of God in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? As Hezekiah ſaid in another caſe; By theſe things men live: ſo doth every Spiritual Soul make uſe of the Grace of Chriſt, and may ſay: By the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt I live, by thelove, pity, and tender mercies of Lord Jeſus Chriſt I live: By his fulneſs of grace I live, for, of his fulneſs we receive Grace for Grace. Thus you ſee how upon all accounts, The grace of Chriſt is like good Ointments.
But thus much generally. We are upon a Bed of Spices, it is good for us to be here, let me therefore ſpeak a little more particularly, ſhewing you particularly:
Qu. 3.What theſe Graces of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt are, which are upon all theſe accounts, as good Oils, or good Ointments.
I ſhall anſwer this in ſeveral particulars:
1. The Grace of Ʋnion, is as a good O…l. There is a three-fold Union conſiderable with reference to Chriſt. 1. His Eternal Ʋ nion with his Father. This is what he ſaith in the Goſpel once, and again, I and my Father are one, but it is not proper to call this Grace. It was natural; his Generation who can declare? 2. The ſecond is the Hypoſtatical Ʋnion of the Divine, and Humane Nature, in the One Perſon of the Mediator. This was Grace, the aſſumption of our Nature, to make one Perſon, with the Divine Nature, this was an act of Grace; it was not Natural, not Eternal, but the product of Divine, and free … time. It was the Grace both of the firſt and of the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity, to aſſume humane nature into an Union with the ſecond Perſon. 3. There is an Ʋnion of Chriſt with Believers, I in you (ſaith Chriſt) and you in me. Theſe are myſteries (the two latter I mean) not to be fully known, and underſtood, until Chriſts ſecond coming. At that day (ſaith our Bleſſed Lord) Joh. 14. 20. You ſhall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and Lin you. That there is ſuch a thing we know, how it is we do not know: but in the mean time this is alſo of Grace. This in the ſecond ſenſe is terminated in Chriſt, in the laſt it is terminated in the truly believing Soul. I am ſure both are as good Oils. That Grace which was both from the Father, and himſelf conſidered as God, by which our Nature was aſſumed into a oneneſs with the Second Perſon in the God-Head. This is like a good Oil, this was the ſweet anointing Oil of his Conſecration, by this he Was conſtituted out High-Prieſt, capacitated to offer a Sacrifice to his Father, both meritorious, and acceptable. As God he could not die, as meerly the Son of man he could not merit, as God-man, he could do both. O this makes Chriſt exceeding lovely in the Eyes of a Spiritual intelligent Soul: Chriſt as God is full of Glory and Majeſty; but his Glory is inviſible, his Majeſty is incomprehenſible; but now when the Word was made fleſh, and came and dwelt amongſt us, then as the Evangeliſt ſaith) we beheld his glory, as the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of Grace and Truth. All the comfort of a Soul dependeth upon Chriſts Incarnation, and what he did, and ſuffered, as manifeſted in the fl ſh. Oh! how ſweet this is to the Soul to think of this, together with the ſatisfaction, which by vertue of this, he gave to Divine Juſtice, and the daily interceſſion which he makes, together with the conſideration, that in this Capacity he entred into the Heavens, as our forerunner; and we ſit together with, and in him in heavenly places (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) are matters of exceeding ſweet Meditation; upon theſe the Soul liveth, and ſupporteth its faith. The Grace of Ʋnion alſo conſidered in the laſt notion is exceeding ſweet. This Grace is rooted in Chriſt, and terminated in the Soul. By this the Soul is conſecrated to God, by vertue of this it is conſecrated a Prieſt to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices to God acceptable through the beloved; by this it is comforted and refreſhed, when it is terrified with the thoughts of the diſunion with God, occaſioned by the fall of Adam, and that ſeparation which its daily ſins make betwixt God and it: By this the Soul liveth its Spiritual life, for Spiritual life lies in the union of the Soul with God, which is made by, and in Chriſt.
Secondly, The Grace of Love in Chriſt, is as a ſweet Oil or Ointment: That holy diſpoſition which is in him, by which he takes delight in the Sons of Men, willeth them good with reſpect to their ſeveral capacities. God is love (ſaith the Apoſtle) Chriſt is Love as he is God, but as Mediator he is infinitely full of love; his pardoning Grace, is nothing but free love reſpecting a guilty creature, his healing, reſtoring Grace is free love reſpecting a backſliding Soul. I will heal your backſlidings, and love you freely. He hath in him comfort for them that are ſad, ſtrength for them that are weak; now is not this an Ointment that giveth a good ſavour? I appeal to any Soul that hath been pricked at the heart for ſin, and felt the load and burthen of it: How ſweet hath it been to a Soul to apprehend the Lord Jeſus Chriſt as one who pardoneth its iniquities! How ſweet hath it been to a Soul ſmitten with the ſenſe of its backſlidings, to apprehend Chriſt as one who healeth backſlidings, and hath mercy even for the rebellious alſo! When a Soul is diſcouraged at the apprehended difficulty of duty, the ſtrength and prevailings of ſin, and corruption, how ſweet is it to the Soul to think of Chriſt's ſtrengthening grace, the Promiſes againſt the Dominion of ſin, and the over-powering of temptation, &c. That we who of our ſelves can do nothing, yet can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth us!
Thirdly, The Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, is a good Oil or Ointment. There is a threefold Righteouſneſs may be conceived in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. 1. Conſidering him as God; ſo there was in him an univerſal rectitude and perfection of nature. What is eſſentially good, pure and perfect, is the object of Love. Thy Word is pure (ſaith David) therefore doth thy Servant love it. 2. Conſidering him as Mediator, ſo his Righteouſneſs was his Active and Paſſive Obedience: Whether both be imputed to us for Righteouſneſs, that is another queſtion, as to which I ſhall only ſay this; That the uſual Objection, That his Active Obedience was but the debt of his humane Nature, which was a Creature, and therefore could not be imputed, is of no value, for his Righteouſneſs was the Righteouſneſs and Obedience of a perſon that was God Man, ſo had a ſurpluſage infinitely beyond the debt of the humane Nature conſidered as a creature. Moſt certain it is, he had a Righteouſneſs, yea and a Righteouſneſs which is reckoned to us for Righteouſneſs: his Name is, The Lord our Righteouſneſs; and he was made of God for us Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification and Redemption; and this is a ſweet Ointment; for by this the Soul knows that God hath ſaid to it, Take away that Soul's filthy garments, and clothe it with a change of garments: By this it knows, under the utmoſt ſenſe of its own unrighteouſneſs, that it hath a Righteouſneſs, wherein it ſhall ſtand before God, and its Sins ſhall be as if they never had been; by this the Soul knows that its imperfect duties, and ſhort performances of the Divine Law ſhall be made up, through the more perfect performance of the Lord Jeſus. 3. There is alſo a Righteouſneſs of the humane Nature of Chriſt, which was the conformity of his Soul to the whole Will, and Law of God. There is no holy diſpoſition required of any humane Soul, but was to be found in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Holineſs, Meekneſs, Patience, univerſal Obedience; now this alſo is a ſweet ſmelling Ointment.
1. As theſe diſpoſitions render any Subject lovely, any creature, though found in it more imperfectly, much more Chriſt in whom they are found moſt eminently. There is none but naturally loves one who behaveth himſelf blameleſly, in whoſe heart we can diſcern no guile; one who is in his behaviour humble, meek, lowly, gentle, patient, full of goodneſs; now theſe, and all other excellent Virtues being in Chriſt eminently, make him the excelling Object of our Love: Chriſt was meek and lowly, Matth. 11. 29. he was humble, condeſcending to thoſe of low degree. He made himſelf of no reputation, Phil. 2. 7. Though he was rich, yet for our ſake (ſaith the Apoſtle) he became poor. For his patience, he was led as a Lamb to the Slaughter, and as a Sheep before the Shearers, ſo opened he not his mouth. What ſhould I ſpeak of his readineſs to forgive, his praying to his Father that he would forgive thoſe that crucified him; all theſe made Chriſt an exceeding lovely Object.
2. But now Chriſt as Mediator hath not only theſe excellent habits as Ornaments for himſelf, but as the Fountain of Grace, to diſtribute to us. Of his fulneſs, we have received Grace for Grace, 1 Joh. v. 16. Theſe are now Chriſt's good Ointments, for the ſavour of which the Spiritual Virgins love him. And that they may do ſo, it is neceſſary they ſhould receive the ſavour of them. At the ſavour of thy good Ointments: So then, they muſt not only caſt a ſavour, but the Soul that loveth Chriſt for them, muſt receive the ſavour of4 Qu. them. The laſt Queſtion is; How a Soul receiveth the ſavour of them? I anſwer two waies.
1. By Faith: I mean not here Juſtifying Faith (that brings in experience to the Soul, of which more by and by) I mean here only Faith of Aſſent; whoſe Object is the Propoſition of the Word, to which the Soul fixedly and ſteadily ſubſcribeth; So as the Revelation which is there, becomes as certain to it, as matter of ſenſible demonſtration: For Faith is (as the Apoſtle telleth us) the Evidence of things not ſeen.
Secondly; The Soul receiveth the ſavour of theſe good Ointments: By Experience it hath taſted how good the Lord is. What it bath heard of God in his Word, it hath ſeen in the communications of his Grace. There is no knowledge like to this, and there is no Spiritual Virgin, but hath had leſs or more, ſome experience of the Lord's good Ointments. But I come to the Application.
In the firſt place, this may inform us of the Excellency of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, what an adequate Object he is for every Soul to take a delight and pleaſure in? It may be worth your obſervation, how the Language of the Scripture concerning Chriſt, is ſuch as ſeems to court the humour of every Soul, to a ſeeking after a propriety and intereſt in him, by ſhewing him to have ſomething in him ſuitable to it, that ſo it might take our hearts off beguiling Objects. Every Sinner naturally ſaith, Who will ſhew us any good? Good is the common Miſtreſs of the World: Every one courts it. They only differ in their fancies and apprehenſions of what is ſo, and court ſhadows and Chimera's. One ſaith, Who will ſhew us any good? That is, ſome way to get a penny. How ſhall we heap up Silver as the Duſt, and Riches as the Sand, and joyn houſe to houſe, and field to field, until there be no room left in the Earth? Come unto me, ſaith Chriſt, I will give you the Riches of Grace, the Riches of Glory, Rev. 3. 18. I counſel thee to buy of me Gold tryed in the fire, that thou mayeſt be rich, and white Rayment that thou mayeſt be clothed, and the ſhame of thy nakedneſs may not appear. What ſhall it profit thee (ſaith he) to gain the whole world, and loſe thy own Soul? Another man he cares not for money, but for his neceſſary uſes; but he hunts after honour, that is his good; he would be foreign, ſome great perſon in the World; he would be led about the Streets, and hear men cry out; Thus ſhall it be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour. This man now looks upon Silver and Gold but as white and yellow Earth, and Sand, Idolized a little by a relative value ſome put upon it. He ſnuffs up the Air, and deſires no more than a great Name in the world. Chriſt, to take them off this pitiful purſuit of the Wind and Chaff of the Air, the empty Air of Court Favour, or popular Applauſe, tells them, he hath honour for them. To as many as receive him, he gave a p wer to become the Sons of God. And if Sons, then Heirs, Joynt-Heirs with Chriſt. They ſhall Reign with him; They ſhall judge the World; They ſhall be Kings and Prieſts to the moſt High God, &c. There is a third ſort that crys, Who will ſhew us any good? Their good is the tickling of their Senſes▪ delicious Fare and Drink for their taſt; fine Rayment for their touch; ſweet Odours for their ſmells; Muſick for their Ears, &c. Give them but enough of Wine, and Strong Drink, and Dancings, and dainty Food, coſtly Apparel Perfumes, ſweet Ointments for their Hair, &c. and a few ſuch trifling vanities, which periſh with the uſing, and they have enough, let who will take Silver, and Gold, and Honours, &c. Now that the Lord might draw off theſe ſenſual Hearts, he proponndeth himſelf as the object of Pleaſure; he at whoſe right hand is pleaſure, a fulneſs of pleaſure for evermore; one who hath Oils, and ſweet Ointments, Wine, &c. Thus he allureth the appetite of every ſinner, propounding himſelf as an object proportioned to it.
Uſe 2.In the ſecond place, This Notion will afford every one of us a Note by which we may try our intereſt in, and acquaintance with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. The Note is this: If thou beeſt a Spouſe of Chriſt, thou haſt a ſavour of his good Ointments. Do the excelling graces of Chriſt, make him appear pretions to thy Soul? 1 Pet. 2. 7. To you that believe he is pretious. To an unbeliever Chriſt is vile; every unbeliever doth not ſpeak vilely of Chriſt, but he hath a vile eſtimate of him, he judgeth vilely concerning Chriſt, he hath no eſteem for him, he ſeeth no excellency in him for which he is to be deſired; he can underſtand the value of any Gold, but that which Chriſt calleth Gold tried in the fire, Rev. 3. 18. He can fancy the value of any honour, except that of being called the Sons of God, he can taſt any pleaſure, but that which ariſeth from a Souls Ʋnion, and communion with Chriſt. By this we may try our ſelves, what relation we have to Chriſt.
Uſe 3.In the laſt place, this Notion of Chriſts good Ointments offers me a fair opportunity to perſuade Men and Women of pleaſure, Vain, Chriſtleſs, careleſs Souls, to endeavour an acquaintance with Chriſt. There is a generation in the world, whom pleaſure enticeth from God and his ways, their temptation lies not in their Cheſts, they value not riches, if they have mony, they throw it away as dirt; it lies not in honours, they have no itch after great places, no, but it lies in the cravings of their external ſenſes. Their ſenſes itch, & they muſt ſcratch them & this is their undoing,& muſt be ſo, ſo long as the practice of Religion lies in ſelf-denyal, and a mortification of our members. They muſt drink Wine in Bowls; and ſtretch themſelves upon their couches of Ivory, and anoint themſelves with chief Ointments, and chant to the ſound of the Viol, and invent to themſelves inſtruments of Muſick. Give them but a few glaſſes of brisk, and generous Wine, and a leſſon or two upon ſome inſtrument of Muſick, with a fooliſh wanton Song: Give them but gay cloths, and a powdered Perriwig, a few patches, or a little paint for their faces, they regard not whether they have a peny in their Purſes yea or no, and verily Pleaſure is the undoing of many a Soul; the Woman (ſaith the Apoſtle, it is as true of the man) that liveth in pleaſure, is dead while ſhe liveth. As there are pleaſures, the meer uſe of which is ſinful, ſo there is ſcarce any kind of pleaſures, I mean ſuch gratifications of the outward ſenſes, as come under the name of Voluptates, but expoſe Souls to temptations to greater ſins, and indiſpoſe the Soul to the greateſt duties, they are Snares in which the Devil catcheth many a poor Soul. Now how ſhall theſe poor Souls, be drawn off from this, that it may not dance itſelf into Hell fire? Certainly by no means ſo effectual as the diſcovering to it, that as theſe pleaſures are pernicious, and dangerous to the Soul, ſo there are far greater pleaſures to be found with Chriſt. Perfumes often are but like paint to a Sepulcher; the body, the cloaths, by a little art ſmell ſweet, the mind and Soul (the more noble part of man) ſtinks (it may be through ſordid conditions) but moſt certainly in the Noſtrils of God, as being out of Chriſt; the Begger that hath been anointed with the good Ointments, mention…d in the Text, though he ſmells of the Dunghil, of putrified Sores, in our noſtrils, yet in the noſtrils of God, and of all S…i…ts, hath a thouſand times ſweeter ſavour than the moſt coſtly perfumed Sinner in the world. O therefore come to Chriſt, that thou maiſt have of his ſweet Ointments.
Br. 2.And let this engage every Child of God to ſtudy Chriſt more, to labour for more knowledge of the Scriptures, for more experiences of the Grace of Chriſt. How often do we put a Box of ſweet perfume, or aflower to our noſtrils? How ſeldom do we medirate of Chriſt, or ſmell of his ſweet Ointments? Conſider, 1. Hath not Chriſt good Ointments? have not you had experience of them? Nay 2. Herein lies their excellency, their ſweetneſs is inexhanſtible; you have, i…may be, taſted a little of the ſweetneſa of Grace, and communion with God, but ah! how little?
3. Laſtly, The more your Souls are acquainted with him, and the myſteries of his Grace, the more you ſtudy him, the nearer you come to him, the more exceeding ſweet he, and his grace will appear to your Souls. He that cometh too near a Box of Ointment, ſmells a worſe ſavour then at a diſtance; there is an ill ſmelling earthineſs in all the worlds ſweets; but the nearer your Souls come to Chriſt: The nearer fellowſhip and communion you have with him, the more exceeding ſweetneſs you will diſcern in him.