The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 5
Sermon V.
Canticles 1. 2.
Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth.
I Told you in the cloſe of my laſt diſeourſe that I ſhould not yet leave this Text, becauſe of the laſt words [—of his Mouth;] which we muſt either be allowed as a Pleonaſme, and ſuperfluous, or to contain in them yet ſome further ſpiritual Inſtruction. The Jews ſay there is not the leaſt tittle of the Law, upon which great things do not depend; nor do I fancy the allowing of more Pleonaſms in holy writ, than muſt neceſſarily be allowed. I ſhall therefore take notice of what Origen and Beza, and divers others have before me noted from the addition of theſe words; That the believing Soul thirſts after a communion with Chriſt in his Word. Mr. Ainſworth taking ſpecial notice of the term kiſſes, underſtands the Doctrine of the Goſpel, which is the Word of Reconciliation, as kiſſes are amoris & reconciliationis ſymbola, the tokens of love, and reconciliation: I am ſure the notion is in itſelf true, whether the ſenſe of this Text or no. The Law worketh Wrath, (faith the Apoſtle) the Doctrine of the Goſpel alone ſpeaks love, and peace, Chriſts Spouſe here (ſay ſome interpreters) deſires his manifeſtation in the Fleſh, & the publication of the Doctrine of the Goſpel, together with the comfortable application of thoſe Doctrines to her conſcience. I am ſure there is a truth in that. Let me therefore a little make uſe of their notion. Take this for the Propoſition:
Prop. It is of the nature of a believing Soul to thirſt after a communion with Chriſt in his Word, his Goſpel eſpecially, and the teachings of his Spirit in and by that.
I here join two of thoſe propoſitions together, which I diſtinguiſhed upon the opening of the words. She deſires the kiſſes of his Mouth. 2. That he ſhould kiſs her with the kiſſes of his Mouth. This Propoſition will offer me an opportunity to diſcourſe to you, the affection of the believing Soul, to the words of Chriſt, both in the more external, and more ſpiritual, and internal teachings and miniſtrations of it.
The words of the Goſpel are the words of Chriſt, the kiſſes of his mouth, whether they be applied, and ſet home to the particular conſcience yea or no. The miniſtration of the Goſpel is in itſelf exceeding glorious: Therein (ſaith the Apoſtle,) is the Righteouſneſs of God revealed from faith to faith. Rom. 1. 17. Therein in Gods way of Salvation revealed to loſt ſinners, and by it life and immortality are brought to light. Now this word of God is to be conſidered;
1.As written for our Inſtruction. For ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 15. 4. whatſoever things were written before, were written for our learning, that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
2.As preached. So it is the Ordinance of God for our faith, and therefore called The word of Faith, Sanctification, Conſolation and Eternal Salvation, for indeed the ſupply of all the ſpiritual wants and neceſſities of our Souls. Hence there are three ways by which our Souls have a communion with God in his Word: Reading, Hearing, and Meditation.
1.Reading is one means by which we come to the knowledg of the will of God in his Word. The King of Iſrael was commanded to read in the Book of Gods Law all the days of his life, that he might learn to keep the Law of his God, and there is a bleſſing pronounced to him that readeth. Indeed he that readeth the word as it lyeth before us in our Bibles hath this advantage, that he is ſure what is there plain to his underſtanding, is the undoubted, pure Word of God; and while a man readeth the Scriptures he is but repeating of Gods Word to his own ſoul, or hearing God immediately ſpeaking to him.
2.Hearing the word preached is another means of communion with God in his Word. This is an Ordinance of God, and ſuch a one, as he honoureth with being the great means of calling, and ſaving ſuch as he hath ordained to life: So as in that ordinance a ſoul hath an opportunity to meet God, to draw nigh unto him, to hear him ſpeak unto it. We muſt take heed that we do not think, that all which we hear out of pulpits is ſpoken by God; God no further ſpeaketh by the Miniſter, than the Miniſter keepeth unto his Text, & ſpeaketh according to the Scriptures, either by way of interpretation, or application. And therefore every good Chriſtian, is to ſearch the Scriptures whether what their Preachers deliver be conſonant to them. Thoſe noble Bereans mentioned Acts. 17. did ſo when St. Paul was the Preacher, and are commended for it, The Scriptures are to be judged by no other rule, but Sermons are to be meaſured by the holy Scriptures. No man hath communion with God by hearing, further than ſo far as that is conſonant to the will of God which he heareth. But admitting the Miniſter of Chriſt anſwereth his name and Office, and faithfully revealeth, and applieth the will of God, while we hear we have communion with God; God communicateth his holy will unto us, and we communicate with him by an obedient Ear who hath comanded us to hear that our ſouls may live.
5.A third way is by Meditation. This is an act of our inward man ſtanding upon the things which we have read or heard, as neceſſary to the ſouls ſpiritual nouriſhment, as Digeſtion is to the nouriſhment of our bodies by what is their proper food; a duty much practiſed by David Pſal. 119. 97, 99. And a good man is deſcribed by it. Pſal. 1. 3. He meditateth in the law of the Lord night and day. By this, the ſoul doth not only faſten the word of God upon it ſelf but it alſo dives deeper into the depths of it. I ſay this communion with God in his word is very deſirable to the ſpouſe of Chriſt. I added his goſpel eſpecially.
The Word of God in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament is made up of ſeveral parts.
1.There is in it ſacred hiſtory; no unuſeful part of holy Writ, it being that which more than any other acquainteth us with Gods way of of providence with his people of old.
2,You have in it many Moral Inſtructions, and Precepts of Chriſtianity and Godlineſs, an admirable part of Scripture, that which makes the holy Scriptures to be what no other book in the world is, a light to our feet, and lanthorn to our paths. Shewing us what we are to do, what to decline and avoid but yet theſe are not properly called Goſpel doctrines.
3.You have in it many Propheſies, or predictions of what God intended to do in the world, moſt of which are fulfilled; ſome we yet live in the expectations of.
4.You have alſo in it many terrible threats, and curſes, and many woes denounced againſt the violaters of the law of God; theſe are excellent portions of holy Writ, to keep your ſouls in awe and make us afraid of ſinning againſt God, but theſe are not properly Goſpel Doctrines but properly belong to the Law which declareth and worketh wrath.
5.You have alſo in thoſe ſacred books, many declarations of the good will, and love of God to poor loſt Sinners declared in, and through Jeſus Chriſt. You have an hiſtorical part of the Goſpel, declaring what Chriſt hath done, and Suffered for us, a declarative and promiſſory part, proclaiming Salvation to poor loſt creatures, and promiſing life and Salvation, and all grace to ſome poor undone ſinners, promiſes for the conferring, and increaſe of grace. Theſe and ſuch like, I principally underſtand by Goſpel Doctrines. The Doctrine of Gods free grace in the pardoning of ſin, and the imputation of Chriſts Righteouſneſs to the ſoul. Doctrines that reveal Chriſt and tend to bring the ſoul to Chriſt, or direct the ſoul in walking with him. Now I ſay tho the believing ſoul values every line of holy Writ, and hath a reverence for the whole Word of God, and deſires a communion with God in reading, and hearing and meditating in every part of his revealed will, yet it hath a ſpecial thirſt after thoſe portions of it which contain theſe Revelations: Other parts are ſweet but theſe are ſweeter than the Hony and the Hony-comb. No portions of Scripture are like theſe to the believer. Every verſe in the book of God is a Star but as Stars differ one from another in glory, ſo do the Revelations of the will of God in our apprehenſionsa, s more ſuited to our neceſſities. For the proof of the propoſition: There is ſo much reaſon for it, that were it not that it is fit your Faith (for the help of which the Miniſtry is ordained) ſhould not ſtand in the wiſdom of men but in the power of God, I might for bear the uſe of any Scripture texts in the caſe. The World was many hundred years old before there was any written Word of God, (of which we have any record.) The firſt that we read of was the Book of the Law which the King of Iſrael was commanded to have alwayes before him and to read therein all the daies of his life. Saul was the firſt King of Iſrael; he was a wicked man and regarded not the divine Law. The next was David (the man according to Gods own heart.) See his Affection to the word Superlatively expreſt Pſal 19. 7, 8, 9, 10. 11. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the ſoul, the Teſtimony of the Lord is ſure making wiſe the ſimple, the Statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart, the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the Eyes. The Judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether; more to be deſired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold, ſweeter alſo than the hony and the Hony-comb. Pſal. 119. 14, 15, 16. I have rejoiced in the way of thy teſtimonies, as much as in all riches, I will meditate in thy precepts and have reſpect unto thy ways, I will delight my ſelf in thy ſtatutes, v. 97. Oh! how I love thy law, it is my meditation night and day. Read over that excellent Pſalm at your leiſure, you will find in it a ſtrange variety of expreſſions ſetting out David's value of, and thirſt after the Word of the Lord. I had (ſaith he in one paſſage) periſhed in my affliction, if thy Word had not been my delight. For the Word of God as delivered by Miniſters, you ſhall all along the Hiſtory of the Scripture obſerve, you read not of one good King of Judah and Iſrael, but they were very deſircus in all caſes of conſulting with the Prophets of the Lord; and no doubt but the reading the Law, and the Expoſition of it in the Sanctuary, was the reaſon why David, Pſal. 42. Pſal. 63. and Pſal 84 ſo paſſionately bewailed his being baniſhed from it. In ſhort, look through all the New Teſtament, you ſhall find no company of Believers but by ſome Expreſſions or other declaring their Zeal for, and fondneſs of the Word of God. And the ſame Spirit continued in gracious Souls after the times that the Scripture makes mention of. I remember Hierom tells us of a good woman, whom he ſaith he could never find without a Bible in her hand; aud Mr. Fox in his Martyrology tells us a ſtory of Three Maids (in Lincolnſhire, if I remember right) who ſold their Eſtates in a time of Perſecution to buy a few Leaves of the Bible. It were infinite to tell you the inſtances we have in Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory, of the great thirſt after, and delight in the Word of God, which good people have expreſſed. What need we any further Inſtance than what the Experience of our own Age do…h afford? How naturally do Souls born again, as new born Babes, deſire the ſincere Milk of the Word of God? It is true ſome Hypocrites (eſpecially in times when Religion is in credit and reputation) may lay hold of the Skirts of a Jew, and ſay, We will go with you: I mean, may ſhew ſome fondneſs of hearing and reading the Word; but no Child of God, no regenerate man, but is indeed thirſty of it. So that as it was ſaid of Paul, as ſoon as he was converted, Behold he prayeth; ſo it may be ſaid of every man and woman, let them before have been never ſo looſe, and vain, and careleſs as to reading and hearing the Word; Behold he readeth, or Behold he heareth. Nor indeed is it poſſible it ſhould be otherwiſe.
1.If we conſider firſt That this is the Will of God concerning every Soul. The Soul is unchanged till it be in ſome degree willing and obed ent. So as what St. Paul ſpake more openly, he ſaith to God though more privately, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? Now this is one of the firſt things that God calleth ſuch a Soul to do. Hear, (ſaith God) and your Souls ſhall live. As God ſaid to Paul, Go into the City, and it ſhall be told thee what thou ſhouldſt do. So God ſaith unto the changed Soul, Go to Church, and hear my Word, and go and read in my Word, and there it ſhall be told thee what thou ſhouldſt do. Auguſtin tells us a ſtory, that being in a great Agony of Spirit, and not knowing what to do, he heard a voice as out of an inward Room, ſaying, Tolle & lege, Take up and read. The Soul in this doth but conform himſelf to an impreſſion that is made by the Spirit upon his heart, and is coaevous to the hour of his New Birth; and this you ſhall ſee exemplified not in this or that particular Soul, but in every Soul born of God. The Infant is not more naturally diſpoſed to ſuck the breaſts of the Mother or Nurſe, than ſuch a Soul is diſpoſed to read, and hear the Word of God from the impreſſion of the holy Spirit of God upon it in the firſt hour of its Converſion.
4.Nor is any thing more reaſonable than ſuch an impreſſion, if we conſider God's Ordination of his Word as the pabulum animae, the food and nouriſhment of the new born Soul. 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born Babes, deſire the ſincere Milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby. And for this very reaſon this thirſt after, and delight in the Word of God, never goeth out of a ſanctified heart; for the Word is the proper nouriſhment of the Soul in all ſtates; it is not only Milk for Babes, but Meat for ſtronger ones. By theſe things men live, ſaith Hezekiah. The juſt ſhall live by Faith, ſaith the Prophet. The Word is the object of this Faith. You ſhall obſerve that the God of Nature hath planted in moſt ſenſitive creatures a knowledge of their proper food, and an appetite or deſire to it. The God of Grace hath given the renewed Soul a knowledge of its proper food too, and created in it an appetite to it, ſo as no ſoul is born again without a knowledge of the Word, as that by which it is to live, or an appetite to it. Nay, it is not only neceſſary to uphold the Spiritual Being of the the Soul, but to all the purpoſes of its well-being. Such a Soul findeth the Word an inexhauſtible Fountain, a large Store-houſe, a Shop that hath a Salve for every Sore, a Medicine for every Diſtemper: Hence indeed it is morally impoſſible that a regenerate Soul ſhould not value the kiſſes of Chriſt's mouth: The Breath of Chriſt is comforting to thoſe that are ſad; ſtrengthening to thoſe that are weak; quickening to thoſe that are dull; an healing to all the Soul's Diſeaſes: and there are infinite Records of the Cures done by it, both in Scripture, and in all Eccleſiaſtical Story, and in all Experience. A Chriſtian converted, cannot meet with another, but he or ſhe hath ſome ſtory to tell them of, ſome Cure wrought in them by the Word of God. I had periſhed, ſaith one, in ſuch an affliction, if the Word had not been my delight. I had periſhed, ſaith another, under ſuch a temptation, if ſuch a Promiſe had not ſupported me. O the infinite Cures which the Word of God Read and Preached hath done upon a numberleſs number of Souls! Look almoſt into any Church of God. There are many Souls that were dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, and by the Word were brought to life; many Souls that were dropping into the bottomleſs Pit, whom the Word laid hold upon, and ſaved from it. Here's a broken heart, that was bound up by ſome lines of holy Writ. There's a tempted Soul fetcht out of the depths of Satan by a Promiſe in the Word. There hangs a poor fearful doubting Soul reſolved by it, and brought to a ſettled ſtate. The Regenerate Soul meets with theſe Stories in all its new company. And
3.Thirdly, It hath a reaſon to believe them, becauſe it hath had it ſelf a great Experience of the Virtue of it. The Word (ſaith ſuch a Soul) it is that which hath ſaved my Soul from Hell. My Soul, my poor Soul, was in a full career to the Devil, the Word in ſuch a Sermon, in ſuch a Scripture met me, and turned my face Heavenward; others my companions in ſin dropt into the Pit; my foot was upon the brink of perdition, it is God's mercy I was not ingulphed in Eternal Miſery. God ſhewed me this mercy by his Word; Shall that Word be ever out of the taſt of my Soul? Shall not I wait upon God in the Reading and Hearing of it as long as I live? Hath Chriſt conveyed his Breath, his Life into my Soul, by the kiſſes of his mouth, and ſhall he not by it convey all things that my immortal Soul ſtands in need of? Let others that never taſted the good Word of the Lord, to whoſe Souls the Lord never created the fruit of the lips, peace, peace, undervalue and deſpiſe the Word of the Lord, let them undervalue Scriptures, and deſpiſe Prophecyings, and count vain idle Books better to read in than the Book of God; vain, idle diſcourſes better than lively, Soul-ſaving Sermons. I have taſted better things, I know otherwiſe.
4.Once more, There appeareth to the renewed Soul, a beauty and excellency in the word of God ſurpaſſing all other writings of what▪ nature ſoever. You ſhall obſerve in the world two or three ſorts of People. 1. Some there are, who indeed hardly deſerve the name of rational Creatures, they delight in no fort of knowledge in nothing of any tendency to ennoble the mind of man, but only in ſenſual things; hence they almoſt hate a Book or any thing which may have any tendency to adorn and any way ennoble the mind of man. 2. Others have ſome delight in knowledge, but it is an airy knowledge of things that are ſuperfluous, and ſignify nothing as to the uſe of mans life, a knowledge of things only which pleaſe the fancy, tickle the ſenſes, furniſh the tongue with diſcourſe for all humors and companies. Romances and Play Books, any Books of idle diſcourſe, and fooliſh ſtories pleaſe them, but for the knowledge of ſuch things, as ſhould ennoble their minds, they have no fancy for it nor any Books, or diſcourſes that have any tendency to ſuch an end; theſe are a ſort of titular Chriſtians that are not yet come up to the higheſt forms of Heathens. 3. There is a third ſort of more noble Souls that love Knowledge, and deſpiſe vain and airy knowledge, that iſlueth in no good and worthy end as to mans life; but ſeek ſuch a knowledge, as may make them wife to the rational ends of the life of man. You ſhall now never find theſe men much employing themſelves with reading or hearing of Playes, or reading Romances, they abhor the feeding of their Souls with Coals, and Dirt, and cheating themſelves with lies and falſhoods, nor debauching their minds with ſordid and ſilthy Books and diſcourſes, they will be reading Books of H ſtory and Philoſophy, which may ſerve their Souls as to the moſt noble ends or life; and indeed ſuch as are come thus far, are yet but come on to the higheſt forms of good Pagans. But the good Chriſtian is got beyond theſe, he hath diſcerned that God is the greateſt good, and the fruition and enjoyment of God is the fruition of the greateſt good, and that the enjoyment of God, an acquaintance, fellowſhip, and communion with him, is more to be deſired than all the world beſides. Whatſoever Books or diſcourſes therefore have either in their own nature, or by any ordination of God, a tendency to bring the Soul of Man to a knowledge of God, to an acquaintance or communion with God appear to him the beſt Books, the beſt diſcourſes in the world, and this he doth by as rational an operation of his Soul, as a ſober Man counteth a true Hiſtory better than a Romance, or a Lecture of Moral or Natural Philoſophy better than a Play, or an …dle ſight. All floweth from his right notion of his chief end, for that being once truly fixed in the Soul of Man, he meaſureth other things by their tendency, or no tendency, as means in order to that end. It is becauſe the ſenſual Man maketh the ſatisfaction of his ſenſes the …nd of his life, that he thirſts after merry Meetings, Balls, and Dances, and Revellings and Chamberings, and Wantonneſs, and Books of fine words, and full of filthy, or at beſt witty diſcourſes, as the beſt Book to ſpend his time in, and diſcourſes to ſpend his time upon. It is becauſe the moral Man hath fixed upon the ennobling his mind with human knowledge, and habits of moral vertue, that he deſpiſeth thoſe things before-mentioned, as contrary to his deſign, and the main end of his life, and chuſeth rather the moral writings of Seneca, Ariſtotle, Plato, &c. than any other idle Books to ſpend his thoughts upon. And it is becauſe the true Chriſtian hath fixed upon the glorifying of God, and the ſaving of his own Soul, as the great end of his life that he thirſteth after, and hath ſuch a delight in the World of God, and the Interpretation and application of that (which is that which we call Preaching.) 2. Beſides, the Philoſopher obſerveth, that like delighteth in its like. Look what complexion the Soul is of, ſuch things it deſireth, thirſteth after, and delighteth in. Hence the dirty filthy Soul, where ſenſe, and paſſion, and corrupt and debauched affections predominate, covets filthy Books, and filthy diſcourſes, which are but the iſſues of Souls of the ſame complexion with itſelf, the Soul that is ſomething cleaner, and hath got its paſſions ſomething more ſubjugated unto its reaſon; delighteth in, and deſireth Books and diſcourſes of its own complexion, and which are the iſſues of Souls like unto itſelf. The Spiritual Man being refined to a further degree and pirch, minding the glory of God, and Spiritual things, hath a thirſt after the Word, and Sermons which are the true and faithful Interpretations, & applications of that word, as being more pure and Spiritual, and ſo more like to it in its renewed State, wherein we are transformed into the likeneſs of the word▪ Thy word is pure (ſaith David) therefore doth thy Servant love it, Pſal. 119 140. It is as natural to the renewed Soul, to thirſt after the pure Word of God, and Spiritual diſcourſes from, and upon it, as it is to an impure, unrenewed Soul to thirſt after filthy Books, obſcene diſcourſes, or for the Philoſopher, or moral rational man to deſire after, or to delight in Books; or diſcourſes of its own complexion; eſpecially alſo if we conſider, that as ſober moral diſcourſes tend both to confirm and promove habits of morality, ſo the Book of God, and Spiritual diſcourſes upon, and according to it tend to confirm and to promove Spiritual habits in the Soul.
5.Laſtly. The Souls of believers muſt needs more eſpecially deſire, and delight in thoſe which are more ſtrictly called Goſpel-Doctrines, and diſcourſes relating to them, becauſe thoſe are they which are ſuited to the greateſt and moſt preſſing wants of the Soul; thoſe are the Doctrines wherein the Lord ſpeaks peace and pardon, that contain the words of reconciliation. I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace (ſaith God by his Prophet Iſaiah.) In the hiſtorical part of Scripture, God ſpeaks inſtruction in wiſdom to his People, and tells them the courſe of his Providence in the world in the government of it both with reference to his People, and to their Enemies. In the law and preceptive part of Holy Writ, and the threatnings of Holy Scripture, he tells them their duty, what is his will they ſhould do, and avoid, and what he will do unto them in caſe they be diſobedient to his Commandments, and do not walk in his Statutes, and keep his judgments. In the prophetical part of it, ſo far as it is but an Hiſtory of what God hath ſaid and done, he confirms them in their apprehenſions and faith of Gods knowledge of future contingencies, and alſo concerning his faithfulneſs. But it is in the Doctrines of the Goſpel alone, that he declareth his love to poor Souls in and through the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, what Chriſt hath done and ſuffered for the redemption and ſalvation of Man, what he is yet ready to do for all ſuch, as truly repent and believe, and accept of the Mediator. It is in that alone that he offers healing to the Nations; now every gracious Soul being one who muſt be ſuppoſed to have felt ſomething of the burthen of Sin, and the wrath of God due to Man for Sin, it is no wonder if the ſpecial thirſt of ſuch a Soul be after the revelations of Chriſt in the Doctrines of the Goſpel, as being moſt ſuited to the ſtate of a Soul that is weary, and heavy laden, and ſeeking for reſt, and being wearied in its own indeavours, and finding none. No wonder if ſuch Sermons, ſuch Preaching, be moſt ſweet and acceptable unto it, if ſuch portions of Scripture, ſuch diſcourſes from Scripture be moſt acceptable, and grateful to it's thoughts, and moſt ſweet to its meditations, as being ſuch which muſt deliver it from the trouble, and uneaſineſs, which the Law which worketh wrath hath given to it, finding itſelf a great tranſgreſſor of it. Thus I have doctrinally diſcourſed, the hunger of the Soul after the Word of God, and a communion with God in it by reading, hearing, or meditation, and the reaſonableneſs of this appetite of the Soul to it. There is yet a more excellent, internal communion of the Souls communion with God in his Word, which infinitely excelleth this, and conſequently is the more ſpecial object of the renewed Souls Spiritual hunger, and thirſt, to which I ſhall ſpeak. But I ſhall firſt make application of this diſcourſe.
Uſe 1. This Notion may help us to take ſome meaſures of our Spiritual State, whether we be the Spouſes of Chriſt yea or no, the Souls deſires, or no deſires after communion with God in his Word; its delight or no delight in that piece of communion with God, will go a great way to determine our Spiritual State, and how it ſhall fare with us in the day of Judgment. I am ſure negatively it is a good note. He that hath no deſire after, no delight in the Word of God hath nothing of God, or Chriſt in him. And this is evident from all Scripture experience, and reaſon alſo. Davids experience is inſtead of all, though many more examples might be produced out of Holy Writ. There was never any good King of Iſrael or Judah but call'd for the Law of the Lord, and much deſired and delighted in the Lords Prophets. It is impoſſible that the Word ſhould have done any Soul good, and the ſavour of it not be left upon it, engaging it to prize and value it ſo long as it lives. I only except an extraordinary hour of temptation, in which I have known good Souls, afraid to read, and hear, but alas they are at that time not themſelves, and act not from a free uſe of their reaſon. This reflects ſadly,
1.Upon ſuch as neglect reading the Word. Some indeed cannot read, I know not how to excuſe theſe, in times and places where they have ſuch plenty of means to learn. As I think thoſe Parents will be inexcuſable before God another day, that take not care to have their Children, when young, learned to read: So I think thoſe grown Perſonswhom their Parents have neglected, inexcuſable, who have not uſed ſuch means as the Age affords in great plenty, to learn to read, and can hardly believe that Soul to have any fear of God, or love to God in it, that doth not apply itſelf to this piece of knowledge. But alas: how many can read, that hardly take the Bible in their Hands from one end of the week to the other, Surely we may conclude the Bible never did their Souls good. They cannot but have heard, that the Lord commanded the King of his People to read in the Book of the Law all the daies of his life. And by Gods order was read in the Synagogues every Sabbath Day; and can any think himſelf excuſed from reading the word? we cannot be alwaies hearing, nor doth ſo much knowledge come into our Souls by hearing as may by reading. Am I in none of your boſoms? Is there not amongſt ſome of you a ſad neglect of Reading the Scripture? Let me tell you it ſpeaks you to have taſted very little, if at all, how good the Lord is.
21.Secondly, How ſadly doth this reflect upon thoſe who deſpiſe Prophecyings! It is a dreadful Text, 1. Joh. 4. 6. We are of God: He that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. It is true, no Miniſter of Chriſt can ſay, He is of God, in that ſtrict ſenſe as the Apoſtles did, whoſe Calling was not of men, nor by men, but immediately from God. It is alſo true, that every one who talks out of a Pulpit is not of God. Many run whom God never ſends, and you ſhall eaſily know them by the meſſage they bring. But every faithful Miniſter of Chriſt, that faithfully openeth, and conſcienciouſly applieth the Word of God to Peoples underſtandings, hearts and conſciences, is of God; that is, he is ſent of God; he is the Ordinance of God; and he that knoweth God, that hath …y ſaving experimental knowledge of God, will hear ſuch a one: If there be any that deſpiſeth ſuch Prophecying, he is not of God. Now this men may do from looſeneſs and prophaneneſs, and this too many are guilty of, and by it proclaim to the world, that they were never born again of the uncorruptible Seed of the Word; that they never yet taſted the goodneſs of God in an Ordinance. There is another generation that deſpiſe Prophecyings, pretending to the immediate Teachings of the Spirit of God. I ſhall in my next Diſcou ſe (God willing) ſhew you, that no pious Soul can undervalue the Teachings of the Holy Spirit, nor think them needleſs, but he that looks for them, in oppoſition to the Teachings of the Word of God, or otherwiſe than by, and in the Teachings of the Word, is ignoranr, knowing nothing. The Spirit brings to our remembrance the things which we have heard of God. I never yet knew a pious Soul that du…ſt ſlight Reading, or powerful Preaching. I have indeed known Religious Souls neglect and deſpiſe ſome mens little jinglings of words in Pulpits, flaunts of Rhetorick, and playing with words, or diſgorging their malice and paſſion, (and they deſerve to be deſpiſed and abhorred of all;) but I never yet knew that pious Soul that did not hunger after the Preaching of Jeſus Chriſt, in a plain, Scriptural, powerful manner. I would ſay to any that pretend to deſpiſe Sermons, pretending to the Teachings of the Spirit immediately, as Paul ſpoke to the Galatians, Gal. 3. 2. This would I learn of you; Received you the Spirit by the Works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? So ſay I, you pretend to ſome change of heart, to a Receiving of the Spirit: Received you the Spirit by an immediate afflatus or impreſſion, or by the Hearing of the Word? Beſides, how ſhall the impreſſions of the Spirit be known, tryed, or judged, but by the Word? for St. John hath taught us, 1 Joh 4. 1. That every Spirit is not to be believed. And the Apoſtle warns the Theſſalonians, 1 Theſ. 2. 2. not to be ſhaken in mind, troubled or deceived, by Spirit, nor by Word, nor by Letter.
I ſhall ſhut up this Diſcourſe with a word of Exhortation: Which of us is there who hath not an ambition to be the Lamb's Wife, and to be thought the Spouſe of Chriſt? Evidence then your ſelves to be ſuch by your hunger after a communion with God in his Word, by your much Reading, much Hearing, by your meditating in the Law of the Lord night and day. For the written Word, you have no plea to the contrary, no excuſe for the Word Preached; I wiſh Chriſtians had more general incouragement. We have too much of of the word of man in Pulpits, too little of the Word of God; and as it is in Trade, the falſe and corrupt making of Wares, depretiates the Commodity, and brings it out of eſteem with ſuch as abhor to be cheated: So the abundance of falſe Preaching, by which I mean, not only Preaching of unſound Notions, but Preaching vain Philoſophy, idle Speculations, turning Sermons into Harangues of Oratory: In ſhort, whatſoever is not intelligible Scriptural Preaching, with a true deſign to ſhew men the way of Salvation, and to direct them into it, and in it: I call this falſe Preaching: We have ſo much of this, that it hath brought a diſcredit upon the Ordinance. I would have you, as our Saviour directs, Take heed what you hear, and how you hear, and that will oblige you to take heed whom you hear. But withal, Take heed that you hear; for God hath told you, that Faith cometh by hearing: He hath ſaid, Hear, and your Souls ſhall live: And bleſſed be God he hath not left us without ſome that Preach Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified, and deſire to know nothing elſe amongſt people. I cannot tell you how long you ſhall have any of the daies of the Son of Man; work while it is day; when the night comes no man can work. We have had faithful, powerful Preaching a long time, (poſſibly Chriſt never had a Church on Earth, had ſuch handling the Word of God ſo long a time) doth not the Candle begin to fail, and burn in the Socket? We have an Ezra's Temple, but is not Solomon's deſtroyed? 2. There's no ſuch way to recover your Light, and keep it with you, as to cry after it, and to make uſe of it while you have it. God will not take away his Word from hungry Children. Where are our Rogers, Sheppard, Hooker, Fenner, Preſton, Sibbs, Burroughs, and others? It's time to recover your Appetites, that you may recover your Bread. 3. Conſider, you that love the Lord, will be the firſt that want it. Prodigals of their Souls, can feed upon any Husks, though they fill their Bellies with nothing but wind and crudities. That you may recover your Appetite to the Word, Purge your ſelves of your luſts. I ſhall conclude with that of James, Jam. 1. 21, 22. Wherefore lay apart all filthineſs, and ſuperfluity of naughtineſs, and receive with meekneſs the ingrafted word, which is able to ſave your Souls: But be you doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own ſelves.