The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 52
Sermon LII.
Cant. 1. 12.
While the King ſitteth at his Table, my Spikenard ſendeth forth the ſmell thereof.
I Proceed to the 2d Propoſition which in my laſt diſcourſe I obſerved from theſe words.
Prop. That the ſmell of the Spouſes Spikenard, doth much depend upon Chriſts preſence with her, and influence upon her.
I have already told you, that the believers gracious habits are the Spikenard here mentioned. That the ſending forth the ſmell thereof ſignifieth the exerciſe of theſe habits, to the pleaſing of God, and the honour of God in the ſight, and face of the World. This I ſay doth very much depend upon Chriſts preſence with, and influence upon the Souls which is the thing here expreſſed, by the Kings ſitting at his table. I ſhall prove this propoſition by proving theſe four things.
1. That all exerciſe of gracious habits dependeth upon Chriſts influence upon, and communion with, the Soul.
2. That degrees of gracious exerciſes, depend upon degrees of ſuch communion, and influence.
3. That as is the exerciſe of grace, So is the ſmell thereof.
4. That in deſerted Souls, grace doth not give out its ſmell. Or at leaſt very little.
Concluſ. 1.1. I ſay, 1. All exerciſe of gracious habits dependeth upon Chriſts influence upon, and communion with the Soul. God doth not only infuſe habits of grace, but he alſo eliciteth the acts of grace. Hence our Saviour tells us, Joh. 15. 3. That without him we can do nothing. And the Apoſtle tells us, That he giveth to will, and to do of his own good pleaſure. It is Muſculus his obſervation upon Joh. 15. 3. our Saviour doth not ſay, that without me you can do no great thing, or without me you cannot do any great thing but without me you can do nothing. And the Apoſtle calleth Chriſt not only the author but the finiſher of our ſaith, Heb. 12▪ … and 1 Phil. 29. It is given to you on the behalf of Chriſt to believe, a power to believe, that is the habit, but the Lord doth not only give us a power to believe, but to believe actually. Acts of faith, and holineſs, are our fruit; The habits of either are the ſeed, the Acts are the fruit, and ſo are often called in holy writ, Joh. 15. 2, 3, 4. Rom. 7. 4. In me (ſaith God) is thy fruit found; hence a life of Holineſs is called a walking in, and after the Spirit, Gal. 5. 25. Rom. 8. 1. I live (ſaith the Apoſtle, Galat. 2. 20.) but yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me; and again Phil. 4. v. 13. I can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthneth me. To every good act there is not required only a firſt exciting grace, and a working grace, quickening, and determining the will unto the act: But a further exciting, aſſiſting, and cooperating grace, Thus that ancient Councel (Concil. Arauſ. Can. 9.) determined, As often as we do that which is good God worketh sn us and with us that we may work. Hence the Apoſtle ſaith, of himſelf, 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am that I am, and his grace which was beſtowed on me was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly then they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. In every good action of a regenerate Soul The renewed Soul acts, and God acts. Thus I remember Auguſt. aſſerted of Old. Some (ſaith he) may ſay, Then holy men are acted, and do not act; Reſpondeo (ſaith he) Immo agis, & ageris & …unc bene agis ſi ab eo agaris; that is, I anſwer, yes, thou both acteſt and alſo art acted and then thou acteſt well, if thou beeſt acted by him; For the Spirit of God which acteth thee helpeth thee in acting; he hath ſtiled himſelf thy helper, becauſe thou thy ſelf doſt ſomething; only here is to be obſerved a double difference.
1. The firſt is the difference between Gods influence upon our natural powers to their natural acts and our Spiritual habits & powers as to their Spiritual acts. God influenceth our bodily members, as to their natural acts. Without his influence we could not move, nor ſpeak, nor do any natural act; but how doth he influence us as to them? By upholding our natural powers: And by keeping off thoſe things which would hinder their natural exerciſes. God hath given unto man a Soul, indued with the powers both of the Vegetative Soul in plants, and of the Senſitive Soul in brute creatures, beſides ſome more noble powers, which are proper to the reaſonable Soul. Now theſe Souls act from this natural power in them, which being upheld in them, & not hindred by any forraign, or intrinſick cauſe, produce the acts that are proper to them: This is but an influence of common providence, and is common to all men. But the influence I am ſpeaking of is an influence of Special grace: Not an influence common to men, but peculiar to the People of God who have experienced this grace.
2. The Second difference I deſire you to obſerve is, The difference betwixt Divine influences, as to the firſt and this further grace. No man cometh unto the Son unleſs the Father draweth him. In the firſt grace the Soul is meerly paſſive; that change is wrought by working grace; this by cooperative, and aſſiſting grace; the renewed Soul moves and acts from it ſelf: It is only quickened and aſſiſted by Divine influences. To ſpeak therefore clearly, and diſtinctly, we ſay God hath a double influence upon our wills as to any good actions done by us.
1. He influenceth our wills as the cauſe, Exciting our wills to the Acts. Our wills are the cauſe of all good actions done by us, (the proximate cauſe;) we firſt will the thing which we do, ſed ille facit ut velimus, it is he who influenceth our wills, and makes us willing, and then excites our wills.
2. God together with our wills (as the proximate cauſe) hath an influence upon the effect. It is univerſally granted by ſober men, That there is a concurſe of Divine providence, to the production of every effect; nor doth this concurſe of the firſt cauſe hinder the liberty of the Second Cauſe. No Natural agent produceth any effect without a concurſe of the Divine power, and a ſimultaneous motion of the Divine power. Some will have this influence of God upon us, as to Spiritual acts, to be no more then an ordinary concurrence of Providence. But I think the contrary will appear to every one who ſhall diligently conſider two things.
1. The imperfect ſtate of the will of man even after regeneration. Before Regeneration man hath ſervum arbitriun: A meer ſervile will. Auguſtine tells us that in the ſtate of Innocency, mans happineſs lay in a poſſe non peccare, a power which he had in that ſtate, if he would, not to ſin againſt God. The happineſs of the ſtate of the Souls in glory will lie in a non poſſe peccare, in this that they ſhall have no power more to ſin. They ſhall be like the Angels in Heaven, confirmed in a ſtate of purity, and holineſs. The ſtate of a Man or Woman not regenerated is that he cannot but ſin. Now though the Regeneratedman be by regeneration freed from the ſervitude of the laſt mentioned ſtate, yet it is much ſhort either of the more perfect ſtate of the will of the glorified Saints, or of the ſtate of Adam in innocency, we cannot ſay that their will is ſo ſtated through Grace, that they have a power not to ſin. Even the beſt of men ſinneth 7 times a day, and who can tell how oft he offendeth. We know but in part, and ſo may ſin through ignorance, and oft times do ſo. We are men full of paſſions, and live in a World that is full of temptations, and are often over-born. Our will is indeed manumiſed, and to will is preſent with us, but our freedom is imperfect.
2. Yea I cannot underſtand, but that we ſhould have need of a Divine influence exciting, and aſſiſting us to our Spiritual acts, ſuppoſing that upon our regeneration we had been perfectly reſtored unto that indifferency in which Adam was created. For admit the will of man indifferently free to move to good or evil, what but the Influence of Divine Grace ſhould incline and determine it rather to that which is good, than to that which is evil. But that which makes it much ſtronger, is the conſideration that we are not reſtored to ſuch a perfect liberty or indifferency, but there is remaining even in the beſt the body of death, paſſions, impetuous paſſions, which ſtrongly Incline us to that which is evil, and often prevail againſt us. David complaineth, That iniquities prevailed againſt him. Paul complained, That he was ſometimes brought into captivity to the Law of his Members. Beſides, if we could imagine that the will of man (though renewed) could be the firſt Principle of any ſpiritual action, it muſt be a Firſt Cauſe, and man would be a God to himſelf.
But it may be ſome will ſay, though it be true, that the will of man cannot move it ſelf to a Spiritual Act, but it muſt have a firſt mover, yet God's Influence upon it may be no more than the ordinary concurſe of his Providence, ſuch as he allows to all his creatures upholding their Beings, and their natural powers and faculties. I therefore add,
3. That this may ſeem plauſible to thoſe who either do not conſider, or will not allow thoſe two contrary Principles which are in every renewed Soul, but to thoſe who believe and conſider this, it cannot, Gal. 3. 17. For the Fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the Fleſh, and theſe are contrary the one to the other, ſo that you cannot do the things which you would; eſpecially when we conſider alſo the advantage which the Fleſh hath in us againſt the Spirit. Vicious habits and inclinations are natural to the ſoil of our hearts. It is a common obſervation, Quod ſponte prodit laetius prodit, what a ſoil naturally brings forth, it brings forth more vigorouſly and certainly, than what it is made to bring forth by Art and Cultivation. The heart of every man naturally inclines to motions and actions, contrary to the Will of God. Hence Self-denial is the firſt thing neceſſary to Chriſt's Diſciple; this makes more than a concurſe of common Providence neceſſary to a ſpiritual act. Now in our natural motions there is no oppoſition, and therefore an ordinary conſervative power of common Providence is ſufficient to their production, Nature giving no oppoſition to them; but this reaſon differeth very little from the firſt, therefore I ſhall not further inlarge upon this head.
4. Laſtly; If we could exerciſe gracious habits without any ſupernatural influence exciting and quickening, and alſo aſſiſting and cooperating; Then we might from our ſelves begin, and carry on a ſupernatural act: For ſuppoſe one indued with the habits of grace, he is only by theſe furniſhed with a power to believe, to love God, &c. The Queſtion is, Whence he acts and exerciſeth theſe powers? If this be from himſelf, then the ſupernatural act begins, and is carried on from himſelf, and God ſhould give only to will, but not to do. The Apoſtle tells us, in 2 Cor. 3. 5. That we are not ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing as of our ſelves, but our ſufficiency is from God. If it be anſwered, That as in natural actions God upholdeth the natural powers and faculties of the Soul; ſo in the renewed Nature, he upholdeth the Spiritual Powers. This is too ſhort; for the Queſtion is, Whence a Chriſtian is inclined to this or that individual good action, and why more at one time than another; for there is a never-ceaſing influence of God upholding the principles and powers of the renewed Nature; yet experience tells us there is not at all times the ſame power and vigour to act. Beſides, in all God's influences and concurſes of Providence with his creatures, his influence is according to the nature of the ſecond Cauſe with which he concurreth. But when God concurreth with a ſpiritual habit or power in the Soul, he concurreth with a Second Cauſe which is ſupernatural, not a native quality in the rational Soul, but adventitious, ſuperinduced qualities, therefore an ordinary concurſe of Providence is not ſufficient; and as the Second Cauſe with which he concurreth is ſupernatural, ſo the Effect to be produced is of that nature alſo. To all this might be added, the mention ſo often made in Scripture of the Spirit dwelling in us, helping our infirmities, working in us: And St. Paul's telling us, that he lived, yet not he, but ſaith he, Chriſt liveth in me, Gal. 2. 2…. and that, 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was beſtowed upon me, was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet NOT I, but the grace of God that was with me. But I have ſpoken enough to the firſt Concluſion I laid down, proving that our exerciſe of grace depends upon the Influence of Chriſt, and that conſidering him not as God only granting his ordinary concurſe of Providence, to all his creatures motions and actions, but conſidering him as Mediator, and from whom the Spirit of Grace proceedeth. There muſt be a double Influence of Chriſt to a Spiritual Act. 1. The firſt exciting, moving, quickening, and ſtirring up the Soul unto it. 2. Aſſiſting the Soul in it.
2.2 Concluſ. Degrees of exerciſes of Grace depend upon the degrees of thoſe Influences. Chriſt tells us, That he came into the World, that his People might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly, Joh. 10. 10. The aboundings of gracious acts depend upon the aboundings of Spiritual Life. This is ſo obvious to every man's common reaſon, that I need not inlarge in a Diſcourſe to prove it. Every one will conclude, That if without Chriſt we can do nothing, we cannot without him do great things, if we cannot think a good thought, we cannot pray a good prayer, nor do an act which muſt ſpeak a great ſelf-denial, and mortification of our members.
3.3 Concluſ. As is the exerciſe of Grace, ſo is the ſmell of it. I have before told you, that ſome Divines ſay, the exerciſe of Grace is the ſmell of it. I had rather by it underſtand the Acceptation of ſuch exerciſe of Grace with God, and the report of it amongſt men, which indeed dependeth upon the exerciſe, and is more or leſs according to the exerciſe of it. The more a Soul liveth in the improvement and exerciſe of thoſe bleſſed habits with which God hath endued it, the more it glorifieth God, Joh. 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; ſo ſhall you be my Diſciples. Abraham being ſtrong in the Faith, gave glory to God; and the greater is the ſweet ſavour which the Soul gives in the World. There is nothing in the exerciſe of gracious habits, that is unlovely, or unſavoury to that part of the World, that hath not through malice out-lawed its reaſon; they are not the exerciſes of Grace, but the breakings out of ſin and corruption which give the Souls of Chriſtians any ill report amongſt the generality of the men of the World. Some few perſons indeed there are, who have ſuch a perfect rooted hatred of God in them, that as they ſay of the Baſilisk, that it hath ſuch an hatred and antipathy to man, that it will flie upon the Picture of a man; ſo they will flie upon the Image of God where-ever they ſee it, or think they ſee it; but the number of theſe (though in it ſelf too great, yet) comparatively is but ſmall. The generality of men and women in the World are not ſo bad, but a good man living uniformly up to his Principles, hath a fairer quarter amongſt them. But amongſt the People of God, thoſe who excel in vertue, the exerciſes of Grace alwaies ſmell very ſweet, and amongſt all men under the conduct of reaſon; as is the exerciſe of theſe ſpiritual habits, ſo is the Chriſtian's ſmell more or leſs. The Ointment poured forth is that which perfumes the houſe, the reaſon is, becauſe that odoriferous quality is by the Air, (as its vehicle) conveyed to our ſenſes. So for men and women in the World; the habits of Grace in the Soul are not diſcerned but by the exerciſe. Indeed as to our acceptation with God, the reaſon is different; he ſeeth the hearts of men in their internal change and renovation, but he hath given them their gracious habits for this very end, that they ſhould exerciſe them; he hath commanded the exerciſe of them; Let me hear thy voice (ſaith he) for ſweet is thy voice. By the exerciſe of them he is glorified; a great deal of honour redoundeth to him from others. So as it muſt needs be true, that as is the exerciſe of Grace, ſo muſt be the ſmell thereof, whether you by ſmell underſtand exerciſe (as the ſmell of the odoriferous Ointment or Plant is the product of its odoriferous quality) or the acceptation of it with God, and acceptableneſs of it unto man. Where there is no exerciſe of Grace, there can be no ſmell; where the exerciſe of it is weak, the ſmell of it muſt bear a proportion; where there are the higheſt and ſtrongeſt exerciſes, there is the ſweeteſt and ſtrongeſt ſmell.
4.4 Concluſ. Where the King is withdrawn from his Table, the Soul's Spikenard ſendeth forth little or no ſmell. This is my laſt Concluſion, in proof of the Propoſition. God ſometimes hideth himſelf from the Souls of his People. The preſence of God with Churches, Nations, and particular Souls (of which you ſo often read in holy Writ) is to be underſtood not of his Eſſential Preſence, for ſo he is never abſent from any of us; Enter, praeſenter Deus eſt, & ubique potenter (according to the old barbarous verſe) he filleth Heaven and Earth, & infinitum ultrà ſpatium, an infinite ſpace beyond what we can comprehend under theſe two terms. It muſt be therefore underſtood of his Providential Preſence reſpecting his goodneſs, and ſuch grateful diſpenſations as from thence flow to poor creatures. Now the goodneſs of God reſpecting our outward or inward man, God is ſaid to be preſent or abſent, with or from his creatures, as he diſpenſeth out good unto them, or with-holdeth them from them. Hence you read in Scripture ſo often of God's preſence with his People in going out with their Armies, bleſſing them with ſucceſſes, &c. And on the contrary, of God's hiding his face, and departures from his People, by his giving them up to their Enemies, his curſing them in their baskets and ſtore, &c. As to their inward man, God is ſaid to be preſent with them when he upholdeth their Souls to their ſpiritual operations, gives them quiet, and peace in their Spirits, &c. to be abſent, and to hide his face from them when he with-holdeth theſe Influences. God indeed doth never wholly forſake a living man, for he muſt then die and return to his duſt; nor as to his Spiritual Influences doth he ever wholly withdraw himſelf from the Believer's Soul, for then his Spiritual Life muſt be wholly extinguiſhed, the Union betwixt the Soul and Chriſt, and his Spirit wholly diſſolved, but he oftentimes doth gradually withdraw himſelf; this is what we call Deſertion. Take a Soul under theſe circumſtances which enjoyeth not the preſence of Chriſt with it as at other times, this Soul at this time hath its Spikenard, for the Seed of God abideth in it; but (alas!) it ſendeth not forth the ſmell thereof, at leaſt not ſo as at other times; the deſerted Soul acts its Grace weakly, falls under many corruptions, and into many temptations: It is like a Flower in Winter, whoſe Root is kept in the Earth alive, but it doth not bud and bloſſom as at other times. It is true, God at ſuch a time loveth the Soul, (for whom he loveth, he loveth to the end, but many of its actions in this ſtate are not ſo pleaſing to him; it crieth out, I think upon him, and I am troubled; I am ſo troubled, that I cannot ſpeak, I cannot pray, I cannot ſing praiſes, &c. Nor can its converſation be ſo ſweet to men; it walks dejectedly, and troubled, &c. It is true, Deſertions are of ſeveral ſorts and degrees, and that Soul from whom God hideth himſelf as to conſolatory Influences, may yet enjoy his preſence as to ſtrengthening and quickening Influences, but the actions of a deſerted Soul, ſo far as it is deſerted, are far from ſending forth a pleaſant ſmell. Theſe four things are ſufficient to make good the Propoſition. viz. That the preſence of Chriſt with, and his ſupernatural Influences upon the Soul, are highly neceſſary to the Spouſe's Spikenard ſending forth the ſmell thereof. I come now to the Application.
Uſe 1.Obſerve from hence (in the firſt place) how little room is left for any creature's boaſting, and how juſt reaſon the beſt of Souls have to walk humbly before their God. We are naturally proud, and have hearts exceedingly prone to be lifted up above meaſure. God knoweth our infirmity, and hath ſo ordered the whole buſineſs of our Salvation, that all boaſting is excluded. There are but two things as to our Spiritual concerns that we can boaſt or glory in: The dignity of our ſtate, or the change of our hearts manifeſted in our holy diſpoſitions, or vertuous and pious actions. As to the former God hath (as the Apoſtle hath determined) excluded boaſting, by the Law of Faith, Rom. 3. 27. Where is boaſting then? (ſaith he) he anſwereth himſelf, It is excluded; By what Law? Of Works? nay, but by the Law of Faith. Would any man glory that his Soul is in a ſtate of righteouſneſs, and favour with God? What reaſon is there for that, if he be juſtified through Grace, and righteous only through the imputed righteouſneſs of another? If he be only compleat in Chriſt, all glorying of that Nature is excluded. What is then left for a man to glory in, will he glory in his habits of grace, the renovation of his nature, &c. So indeed he might if this change had proceeded from himſelf, if he had been born again of the will of man, or of bloods, but if it be of the will of God, if it be of water, and of the Spirit, which worketh as a moſt free agent, blowing where it liſteth, where is there any room for boaſting? Will he boaſt of his good acts? If it be not he that liveth, but Chriſt that liveth in him, if all things which he doth be through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth him, where is there any room for boaſting? God hath not left us a Feather to boaſt of: Will a man boaſt that he hath a power to will what is ſpiritually good? He boaſts beyond his Line, and of a Lye. For it is God who giveth both to will and to do. This is gratia operans, working Grace; it is working, efficacious Grace that giveth man any ſpiritual power; he cannot make his own Spikenard; it is indeed his, but ex dono, of God's free gift: But it may be when he hath it, he can exerciſe it without any further aſſiſtance; no, as he muſt firſt receive the Spirit before he hath in him any thing of Spiritual Life, ſo he muſt be led by the Spirit. If God did not excite the Grace beſtowed on him, it would be choaked by that body of death, that luſt and corruption which is in the beſt mens hearts. What can the creature do, when the Holy Spirit hath quickened his habits of Grace? he cannot act and exerciſe them, and put forth ſpiritual acts; but doth he no more need the Influence of the Holy Spirit? yes, without Chriſt he can do nothing; he muſt ſtill have the Grace of God with him, 1 Cor. 15. 10. Not I (ſaith Paul) but the Grace of God which was with me. This is now cooperative and aſſiſting Grace. He cannot make the Wheel which muſt carry him in the waies of God, (working Grace muſt do that) when it is made, he cannot ſet it upon motion. Exciting Grace muſt oil it; Aſſiſting Grace muſt keep it up, move with it, or he will never come to iſſue any good action. A Believer indeed acteth, for the habits of Grace from which he acteth are inherent in him; he is not moved like a Machine, or dead Engine, but yet he is acted, that is, aſſiſted and helped in his action: He is nothing but what he hath received; he doth nothing but while he is receiving. Let not then the Natural man glory in the power and good inclinations of his own will; he neither hath, nor can have any power to do that which in a ſpiritual ſenſe is good, until it be given him from above. Let not the renewed man glory in his infuſed habits of Grace; for as he did not merit it, nor any way purchaſe them, ſo of himſelf he cannot uſe or exerciſe them: But let him who glorieth, glory in this, that to him Chriſt is all in all, that he liveth, he acteth, and bringeth a good action to an iſſue, but yet not he, but Chriſt that liveth in him, acteth with him, and worketh in him what he accepteth from him. It is Chriſt who layeth the foundationſtone, and then layeth the corner-ſtone, who is both the Author and Finiſher of our Faith; we have nothing to do but to cry Grace, Grace, when we ſee the work done. In the mean time, nothing hindereth but that the Soul may rejoyce, and boaſt in the Lord, while it walketh humbly with God, mourning over the infirmity of its lapſed Nature; for certainly man did not come out of God's hands in the day of Creation in this impotent ſtate. Let no man therefore deſpiſe thoſe that labour under greater degrees of this impotency than he poſſibly doth, but let him bleſs the Lord who hath further excited, ſtrengthened and aſſiſted him to the operations of his Spiritual Life.
Uſe 2.I ſhall ſhut up this diſcourſe, with a word or two of Exhortation to every Child of God to uſe his utmoſt diligence to keep the King ſitting at his Table, I mean to keep the preſence of Chriſt, as much as he can, in and with his Soul, that ſo his Spikenard may ſend forth the ſmell thereof. I ſhall urge this by one argument, and then offer you my advice in the caſe, and ſo ſh… up this diſcourſe.
1. My argument ſhall be drawn from the high concerns of the Soul in its Spikenard ſending forth its ſmell; every Soul is concerned in it three ways. 1. In point of duty as God thereby is glorifyed. 2. In point of comfort as it will evidence its Spikenard to be ſuch indeed. 3. In point of honour, as it brings the Soul to a repute in the World.
1. I ſay firſt in point of duty, as God is thereby glorifyed. For this cauſe we are born, for this cauſe is every man come into the World, that he may bring honour and glory to his great Creator. Herein (ſaith our Saviour, John 15.) Is my Father glorifyed, if you bring forth mach fruit, and as the Lord is glorifyed by the vigorous exerciſe of its grace: So is he alſo honoured, by the predication of his grace, by the ſweet ſmell which our habits and exerciſes of grace have in the World. That they may ſee your good works ſaith our Saviour, Matth. 5. And glorify your Father which is in Heaven. That they may ſee your good works ſaith the Apoſtle, and glorify God in the day of their viſitation; no man ſo glorifyeth God as he who vigorouſly exerciſeth his habits of grace. The barren field is not that field which crediteth the husbandman, the barren and unfruitful Soul is not that Soul which bringeth honour, and glory to God. It is the fruitful Soul, whoſe ſmell is like the ſmell of a field which the Lord hath bleſſed, that bringeth honour to God, and ſo eminently ſerveth the great end of his Creation.
2. The Soul is not only concerned in it in point of duty, but alſo as to its peace and comfort. Indeed it cannot be, but that comfort ſhould reſult from the Souls performance of its duty for the fruit of righteouſneſs ſhall be peace; but yet firſt, as he, or ſhe that hath a box of Spikenard, or any other odoriferous unguent, or perfume, which caſteth out a ſweet ſavour to delight, or refreſh others, doth firſt partake of it him or her ſelf, ſo it is with the Spouſes Spikenard, ordinarily, its fruits of righteouſneſs do not only affect others, but firſt affect the Soul in which they are found, hereby (ſaith St. John) we know that we are tra…ſlated from death to life, becauſe we love the brethren. Hez…kiah upon a meſſage of death ſent by God to him was refreſhed with the ſmell of his own Spikenard, 2 Kings 20. 3. I beſeech thee, O Lord (ſaith he) remember now, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done what is right in thy fight. When a Chriſtian comes to lye upon a ſick bed, or a death-bed, it will be no grief of heart unto him, but a great pleaſure and Satisfaction, to conſider, that he hath with his Spirit ſerved God, and indeavoured by holineſs in all manner of converſation to ſhew forth the grace of God beſtowed on him, not to have been received in vain.
3. Laſtly a Chriſtian is concerned in point of honour. A true Chriſtian is an honourable Perſon, born of God, and he is bound to conſult his honour, and repute in the World. It is the ſmell of a Chriſtians grace, that giveth him a name and honour, a repute before men? The World taketh no notice of our habits of grace, while they lye dormant in the Soul, but when they ſhew themſelves in our converſations in the exerciſes of faith, humility, patience, meekneſs obedience then hath a Chriſtian honour before men. Thus you ſee how a Chriſtian is concerned to have his Spikenard ſend forth the ſmell thereof. Now ſeeing ſo much dependeth upon this, that a Chriſtian ſhould keep this glorious. King ſitting at his Table, it followeth that this is of high concernment to every Soul.
But you will ſay what can we do toward it, is not the Spirit of Chriſt free, as the wind, which bloweth where it liſteth? May not the King ſit or riſe up from his Table when he pleaſeth?
I anſwer, It is true, that our God (as to his manifeſtative preſence with the Souls of his People) governeth himſelf according to the good pleaſure of his will, and his own infinite, and unſearchable wiſdom: The King oft-times riſeth up from his Table when the Soul of his Child is able to give it ſelf no account what diſtaſte he hath taken, nor what hath made him to go away from it, and not to give out his influence as at other times, but yet it is as true that at other times, he withdraweth for the puniſhment of his Peoples ſins, either of Omiſſion or Commiſſion, and there are ſome means to be uſed in order to the keeping of his preſence with us, upon the Omiſſion, or neglect of which he withdraweth, and hideth his face, and he ordinarily departech not from the Soul but upon ſome diſtaſt given to him; I ſhall therefore conclude this diſcourſe, with a few directions given in order to the keeping ofhis preſence with us. To keep to the Metaphor here uſed, there are four or five things, which will make a ſerious and ingenuous Perſon make haſt from a Table, or depart from a place, where he might have made a longer ſtay, or abode. 1. The frowardneſs or ill humour of his hoſt, 2. A diſcerned want of love or attendance, 3. An ill intertainment, 4. The dulneſs or unpleaſantneſs of the company, 5. A diſcerned ſlight or careleſneſs of his preſence. To avoid theſe,
1. Take heed of grieving his holy Spirit, quenching the motions of it, Rev. 3. 20. Behold I ſtand at the door and knock, if any man will open, I will come in, and ſup with him, and he ſhall ſup with me. O Chriſts coming in, and ſupping with the Soul, and allowing the Soul to ſup with him, ſignifies what is here in the Text expreſſed, by the Kings ſitting at his Table. And the Spouſes Spikenard, ſending forth the ſmell thereof; now this dependeth upon the Souls opening; when Chriſt ſtands at the door, and knocketh, he knocketh by the motions of his holy Spirit, the Soul openeth, by its willingneſs to receive, imbrace and obey ſuch motions; the reaſon why this great King, riſeth up from his Table, is, becauſe when he knocketh the Soul is not obedient to his motions, he pipeth to the Soul, and it doth not dance. He mourneth to it and it doth not weep, it doth not anſwer his motions to it, according to the nature of them, but denyeth, delayeth or diſputeth. God telleth the preſumptuous ſinner, Prov. 1. 24. That, Becauſe he hath called and he refuſed, becauſe he ſtretcheth out his hand, and he doth not regard, but he ſets at nought all his Counſel, and would none of his reproof, he would laugh at their calamity, and mock when their fear cometh, &c. As a Child of God cannot be guilty of ſinning to ſuch a degree, as ſetting at nought all the Lords Counſel, and refuſing all his reproof: So he cannot be under ſuch a ſevere threatning as is there mentioned. But as the Child of God may in ſome degrees be guilty of ſuch ſinning, not hearkening to, and obeying all the motions of Gods holy Spirit, not receiving all its reproof; So for this he may be puniſhed in his meaſure, by Gods withdrawings of his manifeſtative preſence, take therefore the Apoſtles Counſel, Eph. 4. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit whereby you are ſealed unto the day of Redemption.
2. Let this great King want no love, no attendance, no reverence nor obedience, while he ſits with you. When Chriſt was at meat in the houſe of Simon the leper, Mary brought a box of Spikenard, and poured it on his head, Mar. 14. 3. Chriſt ſits ſtill while the Ointment was poured out, it was not the ſmell of the Spikenard but the love of her that brought it, which made the room pleaſant to him. He ſtirred not from the Table at Marthas houſe, ſo long as Mary ſate at his feet and Martha ſerved him. Hear what he ſaith, Job 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. Say you to all the powers and faculties of your Souls to all the members of your bodies as the Virgin Mary, ſaid to the Servants at the wedding in Cana of Galilee where Chriſt was preſent, Joh. 2. 5. Whatſoever he ſaith unto you do it. That is the way to keep him ſtill ſitting at his Table in your Soul.
3. Take heed there come nothing to your Table that ſhall diſtaſt him. Every ill ſmell of lnſts and corruptions will diſturb him; this made him to hate the Jewiſh feaſt days, and not to ſmell in their Solemn aſſemblies, Amos 5. 21. If you look into Iſaiah 1. 11, 12, 13. Ch. 66. v. 3. Jer. 7. 8, 9, 10. You will ſee what ſins will make him to riſe up from his Table: All formality, and hypocrisy in your behaviour toward him, all groſs, and Scandalous ſinnings, &c. When in ſtead of wine he meets with the poiſon of Dragons inſtead of ſweet grapes, he meeteth with grapes of gall, and cluſters of wormwood, he will not long ſit at his Table in that Soul.
4. Not only the apparent badneſs, and rudeneſs, but the dulneſs, and unpleaſantneſs of a company, makes an ingenuous man riſe up from his Table. Take heed of heavineſs, and dulneſs, inactivity, and want of delight in your communion with God.
5. Laſtly, As a diſcerned careleſneſs, and ſlighting of a friends Company, makes the ſtay of an ingenuous Perſon with his friend, much ſhorter, then it otherwiſe would have been: So any careleſs ſlighty behaviour toward this great King, may make his ſtay, and abode with your Souls, in the ſenſible manifeſtations of his love, much ſhorter then it otherwiſe might have been. He will be a welcome gueſt where-ever he abideth; on the other ſide, he doth not eaſily riſe up, or depart from a Table where the Soul inlargeth it ſelf in teſtifying the gratefulneſs of his preſence to it, by offering him all the entertainment it can afford him, giving up of it ſelf to him, daily importuning him not to leave him. Thus you ſhall find our Spouſe doing, Cant. 3. 4.—I found him whom my Soul loveth, I held him, and would not let him go, untill I had brought him into my Mothers houſe, and into the Chamber of her that conceived me.