The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 6
Sermon VI.
Canticles 1. 2.
Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth.
IT is not, Let me hear the words of his mouth; though that be intended, the words of God's mouth, may be brought to us by men like unto our ſelves, as they were ſpoken to the Iſraelites of old by the Prophets; the Spouſe begs not only the Words of her Lord, but that they might be ſpoken from himſelf: She beggeth his words, but ſo that they may be kiſſes, tokens of his love and favour to her Soul: She beggeth not only a more external Communion with God, by which God communicates his Will to our exteriour ſenſes, but an inward Communion, that God by his Word and Goſpel would ſpeak unto her heart, that the Word might not be to her a meer ſound, much leſs the ſavour of death unto death, but the ſavour of life unto life.
Prop. The great deſire of a gracious Soul, is after an inward ſpiritual Communion with Chriſt, in his Word ȧnd Ordinances.
This is a Point not ſo well generally underſtood by the croud of Profeſſors; ſuffer me therefore to ſpend a few words in the Explication of it.
All Communion importeth mutual and reciprocal Communication. It is an action wherein two Perſons do communicate themſelves each to other, Communion with God, implieth God's communication of himſelf to his creature, and the creature's communication of it ſelf unto God. To reſtrain my diſcourſe to the preſent Subject I am about; There is a more external Communion we have with God, with reference to his Word, in the reading it, or hearing it read or Preacht, or meditating in it. God then communicates his Will to us, by the help of Letters, Words and Syllables, by which we underſtand things, or by the voice of his Miniſters, ſent in his Name to open his mind and will unto us; and we communicate with God, giving him the homage of our Eyes and Ears, our common ſenſe and imaginations; this I call a more external Communion: And there is a more ſpiritual internal Communion, which a Soul hath with God in it. I call it a Communion, becauſe God in it doth communicate himſelf to the Soul, and the Soul communicateth it ſelf to God. God ſpeaketh by his Word to the heart, and the heart receiveth the Divine Impreſſions, and ſurrendreth up it ſelf to the Will of God. In the other there is no more than a communication of the Divine Will (on God's part) nor any more than the homage of our exterior ſenſes, our faculty of reading and hearing, the ſervice of our Eyes and Ears, our common ſenſe, and power of Imagination, and of our underſtanding receiving the notions of Truth. In this Communion with God in his Word, there is not only on God's part a communication of God's Will, but alſo of God's Power, by which the Soul is 1. Irradiated as to the underſtanding, inabled to ſee things in another light more fully and clearly 2. Subdued as to the Will, ſo as the man is made willing and obedient to the heavenly Revelation, tranſformed into the likeneſs of the Word, ſo convinced of the truth of it, that it can no longer withſtand it, whether it be a word of Inſtruction, which is the Object of our Faith; or a word of Reproof, for conviction of Sin, or a word of Conſolation, for refreſhing the Soul; the Soul can no longer deny, or diſpute, or doubt of the Propoſition, no longer ſtand out againſt the Precept, no longer refuſe to be comforted. The Word of the Lord comes here to the inward part of the Soul. 2. There is a further Communication on man's part of himſelf to God. In the former Communion he only lends God his Eye to read his Will, his Ear to hear it, his imaginative power to think upon it, his Paſſive Intellect or Power to receive Notions of Truth. Here he communicates his whole Soul to God, his Will and Affections, his whole Man. It is true, here God ſpeaks firſt, we do only velle quum volumus, agere quum agimur (as Auguſtine expreſſeth it) that is, we only will when we are made willing, and act when we are firſt moved and acted. There are ſome who are great Patrons for the Power of Man's Will as to things ſpiritual, that would elude thoſe Texts about the Teachings of the Spirit, and the Teachings of the Anointing ſpoken of by St. John, by aſſerting, That there is ſuch a conſtant concomitancy of the holy Spirit with the Preaching of the Goſpel, that whoſoever will may be willing, and obedient, and believe, and repent, and be obedient. I ſhould hearken much to this Notion, if the Authors of it could give me a good account how it is then, that of two perſons hearing the ſame Sermon, and ſitting under the ſame miniſtration of the Spirit, one man only hears it, thinks upon it a little, and receiveth ſome notions of it, to fit his Tongue with diſcourſe; another hath his heart changed by it, and transformed into the Image of God, and wholly changed as to his Will and Affections, and his whole Converſation. That it is ſo is demonſtrably true, I would know whence it is, unleſs they will make man a God unto himſelf; that is, the firſt cauſe of truly good and ſpiritual motions. Now this internal Communion with God in his Word, which in Scripture is called the Teaching of the Spirit, and the Teaching of the Anointing, being ſuch as few are acquainted with, is little known in the world, and therefore ſome count it Canting, and ſo unwarily blaſpheme the Teacher, and cannot underſtand any thing elſe by it than Miniſterial Teaching. Others again can underſtand no Teaching of the Spirit in and by Ordinances, but dream that Souls under the Teachings of the Spirit, muſt live above Duties and Ordinances, and ſo turn it into meer Enthuſiaſm, immediate impreſſions (which they pretend to) from the holy Spirit of God. It may be therefore worth our while to underſtand it a little.
You read of it propheſied of old, Iſa. 54. 17. That the Children of the Church ſhould be all taught of the Lord. You read in the New Teſtament of words which the Holy Ghoſt teacheth, 1 Cor. 2. 14. Yea it teacheth us not words only, but things, 1 John 2. 27. But the Anointing which you have received in him, abideth in you, and you need not that any man ſhould teach you; but as the ſame Anointing teacheth you all things, and is truth, and is no lye. Yea it was Chriſt's own Promiſe, Joh. 14. 26. But the Comforter, which the Father will ſend in my name, he ſhall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance whatſoever you have heard from me. So as that there is a Teaching of the Spirit, is out of all doubt. The only Queſtions are;
1.1. Whether this be concomitant with Miniſterial Teachings, and ſuperadded to them; which we maintain againſt thoſe who are for immediate Teachings in raptures, and by immediate impreſſions; or a thing ſeparate from them, and to which Miniſterial Teachings are rather hinderances than any furtherance; which is what we deny. For though we limit not the Holy One of Iſrael, but ſay, that as he did of Old, thus teach his Prophets and Apoſtles; ſo he may by more immediate Impreſſions and Revelations, teach his People ſtill what they are to do, or to avoid. Yet we ſay, that the Book of Scripture being finiſhed and ſealed, no ſuch Revelations are by any to be expected; and if any man think he hath any ſuch Impreſſions, Revelations, or extraordinary Teachings, they muſt be proved by the Word, with which, if they do not agree, they proceed not from the holy Spirit of God, neither have they any Light in them. Secondly,
2. Whether the Teachings of the Spirit be any thing more than Miniſterial Teachings in the Preachings of the Goſpel, which Teachings have ſuch a conſtant preſence of the Spirit of Grace with them, that if a man will, he may with thoſe Aids and Aſſiſtances do what God requireth of him in order to his Eternal Salvation, and avoid what God would have him to avoid. We affirm they are, and that there is no ſuch power in the Will of Man, in the uſe of thoſe common Aids and Aſſiſtances, and that there is a Teaching of the Spirit in the uſe of the Word, far beyond the power and virtue of the Word. The Object of this Teaching we make to be the Elect of God. Reprobates as well as choſen Veſſels, may be taught by the Miniſterial Teaching of the Word, and have that external Communion with God in his Word, which I before mentioned; but the Elect of God, and ſuch as ſhall be eternally ſaved only, know any thing of theſe Teachings; and to ſuch are reſtricted throughout all Scripture, in ſuch places as make any mention of them. The more immediate Object is the Underſtanding, Will and Affections. The Miniſterial Teaching reacheth the Eyes and Ears, and exteriour ſenſes, and thence cometh into the thoughts, and into the underſtanding more confuſedly and imperfectly; it reacheth not the more inward part of the Soul. The things of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2. 10, 12. are revealed to thoſe who have received the Spirit; V. 14. The Natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit, nor can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. I therefore call it an internal ſpiritual Communion with God in his Word. But yet for the fuller underſtanding of this, it is reaſonable that I ſhould ſhew you how the Spirit Teacheth the Elect Soul in and by the Ordinance, that you may ſee and underſtand what there is more in this Spiritual Teaching, in this internal Communion with God in his Word and Ordinances, than in the meer Teaching of the Letter, meer Miniſterial Teaching ſeparated from this.
I told you before theſe Teachings were not by immediate Enthuſiaſms, Impreſſions, or Revelations of new things; for, I pray obſerve, there is a twofold Revelation; the one I may call A ſimple, immediate firſt Revelation. Thus God of old taught the Patriarchs and Moſes, and the Prophets, and the Apoſtles. All Scripture was by inſpiration from God, and holy men ſpake as they were inſpired by God. Thus God was pleaſed to teach the Guides of his Church, before the holy Scripture was written, at leaſt fully written, and a Curſe annexed (as a Seal to that Book) to them that ſhould add any thing to it. This is a Teaching ſome would be at, but what need of it, if the Scriptures (as the Apoſtle tells us) are able to make the man of God wiſe to ſalvation, furniſhed to every good work?
Secondly, There is another kind of Revelation, which we may for diſtinction ſake, call a compounded, mediate Revelation; it is the further Revelation of what God hath revealed in his Word; but we wanted a proper medium to ſee it in; we were blind and dark, and our Eyes ſtuck in the bark and ſurface of Scripture. Thus it is yet true, 1 Cor. 2. 10. That God revealeth to his People by his Spirit, the deep things of God, the things which Eye hath not ſeen, nor hath Ear heard, nor can it enter into the Heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But of this I ſhall ſpeak more by and by.
That I may therefore give you (at leaſt) my apprehenſion concerning the due notion of the Spirit's Teaching, ſo as it ſhall not be confounded with bare Miniſterial Teachings, which I take to be a great debaſing of the notion of it, on the one hand, nor be made oppoſite to Miniſterial Teaching, and that made uſeleſs on the other hand: I ſhall ſhew you that in order to the Salvation of a Soul, there is a Teaching of the Spirit neceſſary added to, or over and above Miniſterial Teachings. I ſhall open it in four or five particulars.
11. The Spirit teacheth by ſpecial Illumination. There is a common Illumination, which is the Effect of the Spirit alſo; but of the Spirit working in a way of common grace, by which men receive the common notions of Religious Truths. There are two diſeaſes or faults in the Soul of a Chriſtian, which hinder its learning ſpiritual things.
1. The firſt is, a liſtleſneſs, or indiſpoſition to learn or hear any thing of that nature. You may ſee this in mens ſlighting of the Word of God, till God hath wrought ſome ſaving work in their hearts, they have no mind to read the holy Scriptures, nor yet to hear them faithfully opened and applied: And could you but enter into peoples hearts (which yet you may know by what was the temper of your own hearts before God wrought a change on them) you would ſee this yet further confirmed unto you; this God in converſion removes; but this is not that which I have here to do with.
2. There is beſides this a natural blindneſs and deafneſs, that a poor creature cannot ſee nor hear. In Jer. 5. 21. you find theſe words, Hear now this O you fooliſh people, and void of underſtanding, who have Eyes, and ſee not, Ears, and hear not! Every natural man is one of theſe who have Eyes, and ſee not, Ears, and hear not. The myſteries of the Kingdom of God are fooliſhneſs to the natural Soul; what a notion of Regeneration had Nicodemus? Joh. 3. what notions of Juſtification, Union with Chriſt, the indwelling of the Spirit, Faith, &c. have ſome others diſcovered? Natural men have rational Souls, as well as others, and by the workings of them underſtand many Propoſitions in Religion, which ſhine in the light of Natural Reaſon; but there are Myſteries of the Kingdom of God, Doctrines that ſhine only in the light of Scripture; of theſe they underſtand little or nothing: Nay, for the more common notions of Religion concerning the Immortality of the Soul, the Nature of God, the Doctrines of Faith, Repentance, Good works; when once the heart is changed, the Soul ſeeth them in quite another light, and hath quite another notion of them than it had before, while it was only under the inſtruction of Reaſon, and the Miniſterial inſtruction of Men. Paul prayeth for the Epheſians, Epheſ. 1. 17, 18. That the God of Glory would give them the Spirit of Wiſdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him, the Eyes of their underſtanding being inlightened, &c. It is the Spirit that inlighteneth the underſtanding, and inableth it to a fuller, and further comprehenſion of, and inſight into the Spiritual Myſteries of the Kingdom of God. When the Diſciples came to our Saviour, Matth. 13. 10. and asked him, why he ſpake to the multitude in Parables, he tells them, v. 11. becauſe it was given to his Diſciples to know the Myſteries of the Kingdom of God, but to the multitude it was not given. From hence have proceeded the vain ſpeculations and reaſonings of one part of the world, that have pretended to more Learning and Knowledge than others; and the prophane ſcoffs and mockings of a more ſilly part of it, at the greateſt Myſteries of the Kingdom of God. Some by Wiſdom know not God, being under the meer conduct of reaſon, and tying up themſelves to the meer informations of that natural Eye: Some knowing leſs, have blaſphemed God, and the holy things of God, counting their own Ignorance a ſufficient excuſe for their Blaſphemy. None knoweth the things of God aright, but he that is under the Teaching of the Spirit. Take the firſt Principle of all Religion, viz. That the holy Scriptures are the Word of God; no Soul knoweth this as he ought to know it, but he that is under a further Teaching than that of the Church, or of Reaſon; much leſs doth it know the momentous Propoſitions that are contained in thoſe holy Writings. To all knowledge there is required, 1. A ſufficient Revelation. 2. A ſufficiency in our faculty to receive and comprehend the Revelation. The holy Scriptures are a ſufficient Revelation of all Truth. There are no Myſteries of the Kingdom of God to be admitted, but what are there revealed. But we want a viſive faculty, a ſufficiency in our underſtandings to apprehend, and to conceive them, till the Lord by the finger of his Spirit toucheth our Ears, and ſaith, Ephatha, be opened. When Peter made his confeſſion of Chriſt, for which Chriſt bleſſed him, Chriſt addeth; Fleſh and blood hath not revealed it to him.
2,Secondly, The Spirit teacheth by a ſpecial Application of the Word to the Conſcience. The Word as written is no more directed to one man than to another; it equally concerneth all men. When we Preach we are like Benhadad's Archers, we draw Bows at adventures, and let the Lord's Arrows fly, who is it that directs them betwixt the joints of one harneſs more than another? that when we reprove ſin, and denounce the Judgments of God againſt it, ſaith to this or that ſinner, Thou art the man; or when we diſplay the grace of the Goſpel, and open the Promiſes of God, teacheth one Soul to apply them, while another refuſeth the comfort of them: All ſpecial Application of the Word to the Soul, (which indeed is the true Teaching) is from the holy Spirit of God. It is the Spirit that was promiſed, Joh. 16. 8. to convince the world of Sin, Righteouſneſs and Judgment. It is the Spirit which convinceth the Soul of Truth, of Wrath, of Love, indeed of any thing of Spiritual Revelation. It is the Spirit that makes the Word ſtick to the Soul: All the Miniſters on Earth cannot make a threatning to ſtick to the heart of an hard and impenitent ſinner, nor a Promiſe ſtick to a broken and contrite heart, until the Spirit comes and joyneth with the Miniſtration of the Word. We ſometimes meditate of the Lord's terrours, and compoſe Diſcourſes with the beſt Art we are able, and in the vanity of our hearts, are, it may be, ſometimes ſaying within our ſelves, Surely this Sermon will alarum ſome ſinners, open ſome blind Eyes. Another time we ſtudy the Grace of the Goſpel, and with the beſt Art we can compoſe Diſcourſes to affect Souls with the ſenſe of the love of God in Jeſus Chriſt, and are ready to think, ſurely this Diſcourſe will affect ſome Souls, and bring them to love and admire Jeſus Chriſt, to ſeek to him for pardon and forgiveneſs, to receive him as the Saviour of man, as their Saviour. We go about our work, and when we have done, we ſee cauſe to return unto the Lord that ſent us, mourning, and ſaying, We have laboured in vain, and ſpent our ſtrength for nothing, and in vain. The Spirit of the Lord moves not upon the face of our waters; there's not one Soul waſhed from its filthineſs: The Angel comes not and troubles the waters; though our people lye from year to year at the Pool, yet poſſible not a Soul is cured of its infirmity. The Word is but a dead letter, it is the Spirit that quickeneth whom he pleaſeth. The Word, the Miniſter teacheth us by communicating notions, but the Spirit only teacheth by particular and effectual Application of notions to our Souls advantage.
3.Thirdly, The Spirit teacheth by evident Demonſtration. There is a threefold Demonſtration of things. 1. The Demonſtration of Senſe. Thus it is demonſtrable, that the Fire burneth, that Snow is white; all know that ſpiritual things come under no ſuch Demonſtration. 2. The Demonſtration of Reaſon; thus a proper effect is a demonſtration of the cauſe: Some Propoſitions in Religion are indeed capable of this demonſtration. The Creation demonſtrateth a Creator, &c. But alas! there are very few things in Religion that fall under the demonſtration of Reaſon; moſt Propoſitions of that nature depend upon Revelation; and the…truth of them is to be judged from thence. That Chriſt is the eternal Son of God; That he took upon him our Nature; died for Sinners: In ſhort, all the main Propoſitions of Religion, all Propoſitions immediately concerning our Salvation, all Articles of Faith, are things which fall not under the demonſtration of Reaſon. 3. There is therefore Thirdly, a Demonſtration of the Spirit. St. Paul tells us his Preaching was in the Demonſtration of the Spirit, that is, attended with the Demonſtration of the Spirit; and (let Scoffers ſay what they will) if this Demonſtration of the Spirit attendeth not all our Preaching, we do but beat the Air, and labour in vain. Logicians rightly tell us of two ſorts of Arguments: The one they call Topicks; the other Demonſtrations: The difference of them lies in the effects they have upon our minds: The former make a thing only probable to us, the other make it certain. If a notion appears only probable to us, we have ſome doubts and fears, and ſuſpicions about the truth of it. Nothing is demonſtrated to us, but that of the truth of which we have no further doubts, againſt which we can make no Objections. Now nothing but the Spirit of God thus teacheth. The Gifts of Miniſters are various; the diſcourſes of ſome may be meer words, oratorial diſcourſes; theſe of all others have leaſt influence upon any but airy Souls; others more mind their work, and knowing that nothing but the Word of God layeth hold on the Conſcience, endeavour to prove what they ſay by holy Writ; and ſome in this are more happy than others, as they are more skilled in the Scriptures, and the true ſenſe of them; others are more rational in their diſcourſes, men of great parts, good reaſon; though the ſecond ſort of theſe beſt diſcharge their Office, yet the effect of the beſt is to make a thing but probable to the Soul. The Soul will find out ſome diſtinctions, excuſes and evaſions, until it comes under this Teaching of the Spirit; it is an eaſie thing to make it probable to the Soul, that it is in a road and high-way to Hell and eternal deſtruction; that ſin is the vileſt thing in the world; that there is no way of Salvation but by Jeſus Chriſt: In ſhort, any Goſpel Propoſition may eaſily be made probable, either by reaſon working from connate natural Principles, or (at leaſt to thoſe Souls that own the Scriptures to be the Word of God) from Propoſitions of holy Writ; but ſtill I ſay, till the holy Spirit of God comes to teach the Soul, the Soul will not be fully perſuaded, indeed not at all perſuaded, but have this, and the other thing to ſay againſt it. Nothing ſilenceth the Soul to the revelation of any Spiritual Truth, ſo as it diſputeth it no more (unleſs it be perhaps in a fit, or under ſome great temptation) but this Demonſtration of the Spirit.
4.Fourthly, The Spirit teacheth by Recapitulation, or bringing to remembrance. I have my ground for this from that of our Saviour, Joh. 14. 6. The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghoſt, whom the Father will ſend in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatſoever I have ſaid unto you. This Teaching by way of bringing to remembrance, is an excellent way of Teaching. It is one reaſon why Chriſtians profit no more by hearing, becauſe they never meditate; they ſeldom or never call to remembrance what they have heard. If a Schoolmaſter ſhould learn a Child his Grammar Rules once, and never make him bring them again to his remembrance, he would learn but little. An improvement in notional knowledge of ſpiritual things, doth depend upon often calling to remembrance what we have heard. But the Spirits bringing to remembrance is yet a more excellent thing, and there is the ſame diſproportion betwixt our own bringing to remembrance, ſomething we have read of the Word of God, or heard out of it, and the holy Spirit's bringing to remembrance; that there is betwixt Miniſterial Inſtruction, and the Inſtruction of the Spirit of God at the firſt. As man's inſtruction and firſt teaching reacheth no further than that power of man's Soul, by which he receiveth the bare notion of a thing, and that imperfectly too; but the holy Spirit inſtructeth the heart, and reins, and teacheth the ſecret and inward parts of the Soul: So man's bringing to remembrance things which we have heard from God, doth no more than revive the notion of them in our underſtandings, making the firſt prints of them more deep, plain, and legible: But the holy Spirit's bringing things to remembrance, is a bringing them to the remembrance of the whole Soul, renewing thoſe motions of the will and affections which it taught the Soul with reference to thoſe Propoſitions, which by Miniſterial Teaching, or by reading the Word, were firſt, by the help of our Eyes, and Ears, brought into our Souls, and carried by the holy Spirit of God further into the underſtanding, the will and affections, by which the Soul is anew inſtructed, convinced, comforted, ſtrengthened, &c. to which our repetitions of, and diſcourſes of what we have read and heard, ſerve but as means to ſo noble an end; and without the attaining of that indeed, is of very little ſignificancy to our Souls real profit and advantage.
5.Laſtly, The Spirit's Teaching, is by ſtrengthening and quickening the Soul to practice. We call upon men not to be hearers of the Word, but doers of it alſo; but we cannot make them ſo, we cannot give them an inward Principle of Life, either ſtrengthening, or quickening them to do what we call to them for; and this is the reaſon why we oft-times labour in vain, and ſpend our ſtrength for nothing and in vain. Old Adam is too hard for young Melancthon. We ſee this in the experience of every School-Boy. The beſt Teaching is by practice. Let a Child learn his Rules never ſo well, he underſtands them not till he comes to reduce them to practice; therefore the beſt Teachers put Children upon practice as ſoon as they can. Solomon tells us, Pro 1. 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge. The end of all Knowledge is practice. We therefore deſire to know, that we might practice, & he that hath not been taught to practice in the things of God, hath indeed learned nothing. By this time I hope I have ſhewed you, that admitting the teaching of the Letter, and of the Miniſters, there is none left for the teaching of the Spirit; and that there is a vaſt difference betwixt a meer external Communion with God in his Word, and an internal Communion with him in and by the Word; ſo as we have no reaſon either to deſpiſe Ordinances, or to reſt in that external homage which we pay unto God in the obſervance of them, and ſufficient reaſon why the Soul of an underſtanding Chriſtian ſhould not be ſatisfied with the reading and hearing the words of Chriſt's mouth, without the kiſſes of his mouth. For the proof of the Propoſition, I ſhall give you firſt the inſtance of holy David; take it as it lieth before you, Pſ. 63. 1, 2. 3. O God (ſaith he) thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee, in a dry and thirſty Land where no water is; he means no waters of the Sanctuary. The title of that Pſalm tells you, that Pſalm was compoſed when David was in the wilderneſs of Judah, in the time of his perſecution by Saul, when he had not the liberty of God's Publick Ordinances. In this condition he thirſteth, he longeth, for what? for thee, ſaith he. Further yet, v. 2. To ſee thy power and thy glory, ſo as I have ſeen thee in the Sanctuary; Becauſe thy loving-kindneſs is better than life. You ſee David's deſires are not terminated in a coming into the Sanctuary, but a ſeeing the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary, in an underſtanding the loving-kindneſs of God revealed in his Sanctuary. And (in the expreſſion of the ſame paſſion) Pſal. 42. 1. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, ſo panteth my Soul after thee O God: My Soul thirſteth for God, the living God; when ſhall I come and appear before God? It is manifeſt by the laſt words, that the thing which David thirſted after, was a communion with God in the Ordinances of his Worſhip; but yet not after a meer external communion with him. My Soul panteth after thee O God, for God, the living God. So in Pſal. 119. v. 18. Open my Eyes O Lord, that I might diſcern the wonders of the Law; not my Ears only to hear thy Law; or my Eyes, that I may read the Doctrine of the Law, but that I may diſcern the wonders of thy Law. Paul did not think it enough that the Epheſians and Coloſſians had the Word of God amongſt them, and Preach'd to them by Apoſtles, and men immediately deriving from them; but for the former he prayes, that the Eyes of their underſtanding might be opened; and for the latter, That the Word of God might dwell in them richly; but what need have we of any Scripture in the caſe? I appeal to the experience of every good Chriſtian, what Soul is there that knoweth any thing of God, or of the nature and end of Ordinances, that can be ſatisfied with meer reading of a Chapter, of hearing of a Sermon, without finding his heart at all affected with what he reads or hears, any operation of it at all upon his heart and conſcience. Formaliſts indeed, who think that God is pleaſed with noiſes and empty ſounds, and with meer bodily labour, which profiteth nothing, may be ſatisfied with going to Church, and hearing a diſcourſe from a Pulpit, and that too of ſmall or no tendency to do good to a Soul; but it is impoſſible that a conſcientious Chriſtian, that looks upon Ordinances as opportunities, under a Divine appointment, wherein God hath promiſed to meet the Souls of people and bleſs them, wherein God hath appointed to come, and to ſpeak unto peoples Souls, ſhould be ſatisfied with the meer external action or homage, but he muſt thirſt after that bleſſing which God hath promiſed to his people, when he meets them in places, or duties, wherein he hath recorded his Name to dwell. But I ſhall ſhew you further, how highly reaſonable this is upon this Hypotheſis, That there is ſuch an inward communion of God with his People in his Inſtitutions.
One reaſon may be, becauſe a meer outward Communion with God is not diſtinguiſhing mercy; and this is known to every Soul who knoweth any thing of God. Pariter adeunt, pariter audiunt, (ſaid Auguſtine) Hypocrites as well Saints go to Church, hear Sermons, read Chapters. This is a favour God gives to all within the pale of his Church, which is a field hath Tares in it as well as Wheat; a Drag-net, whoſe ſwallow hath in it good Fiſh, as well as bad. Every Hypocrite may yield God the homage of his Eye and Ear, and ſome thoughts. I ſhewed you before, that it is of the nature of a Child of God to thirſt after diſtinguiſhing mercies: This is that which ſuch Souls long after, to have ſome tokens of good from God, which may ſpeak God's loving-kindneſs to them. They are awakened to a ſenſe of their loſt condition by nature, and to a fenſe of Eternity; and they know nothing but the Adoption of Sons; nothing but an Union with Chriſt can do their Souls any good with reference to their greateſt wants. Beſides, ſuch Souls as they thirſt after what is beſt ſuited to their Souls greateſt wants; ſo they have learned to value the Love and Favour of God above all earthly things: They know that all within the pale of the Church, are not in the favour of God; many are called, and few are choſen. Strait is the way, and narrow is the gate that leadeth to eternal life, and few there be that find it. Many ſhall ſeek to enter, and ſhall not enter.
2.Secondly, A meer external Communion with God, is upon the point no Communion with him. It is indeed improperly called a Communion with him. God (ſaith our Saviour) is a Spirit, and from thence a Chriſtian concludeth, that thoſe who worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in Spirit and Truth. I told you before, That in all Communion, there muſt be a mutual communication. In our Communion with God, God communicateth ſomething of himſelf to the Soul, and the Soul muſt communicate it ſelf in ſome degrees unto God. Now in our meer external Communion with God, in the hearing of his Word, or reading of it, what doth God communicate to us? nothing but the revelation of his Will to our exteriour ſenſes, or common ſenſe and underſtanding, and the laſt but in an imperfect degree. What doth man communicate of himſelf to God? he lends him his Eye, to gather up the Letters of a Book to preſent them to his underſtanding; he lends him his Ear, to hear ſounds, which may carry ſome notions of God to the underſtanding; he lends him a little bodily preſence and labour, to do for a little time what he hath commanded him to do; but all this while the man communicateth not his heart and ſoul, his will and affections to God; nor doth God communicate any thing of his power and goodneſs unto the Soul. So that if we conſider God as a Spirit, and who requireth of us the homage of the Soul and inward man, it is upon the point no fellowſhip and communion with God at all.
3.Thirdly, A meer external fellowſhip and communion with God in his Word (if it may be ſo called) wants thoſe two adjuncts, which moſt allure and inflame the Soul with deſires; they are pleaſure, and profit: There is no true pleaſure in it, no true profit and advantage to a Soul ariſing from it. I noted to you before, that one reaſon of the Soul's thirſt after communion with God in his Word, is the pleaſure and ſweetneſs which every pious Soul findeth in it. David ſaith, the Word was ſweeter to his taſt than the Honey and the Honey-comb; and he ſaith, That one day in the Lord's Courts is better than a thouſand elſewhere. But let us a little wiſtly conſider wherein the ſweetneſs of the Word lieth; what maketh the Bible to be ſweeter than another Book? or a Sermon to be a more pleaſant diſcourſe than any other? The ſweetneſs cannot lie in the gratifying of our exteriour ſenfes, or of our fancy; much reading is a wearineſs to the fleſh; ſo is much hearing, much ſtudy: The ſweetneſs of the Word of God, and diſcourſes out of it, lies in the fittedneſs of the revelations there, and of ſuch diſcourſes, to the diſtreſſes, and ſpiritual neceſſities of the Soul, and the inſight the Word gives us into the great things of God, the great Myſteries of the Kingdom of God: Now no pleaſure, no delight, no ſweetneſs of this nature ariſeth to, or in any Soul, from a meer external communion with God in it. Hence it is that carnal unregenerate men had rather ſpend four or five hours at a Play, or a Muſick-meeting, or Ball, than one at a Sermon; they find no ſweetneſs, no pleaſure at all in the Word. The Preacher indeed may be as one that hath the voice of a pleaſant lovely Song, and have ſome witty ſentences; this may pleaſe them; or if they be perſons that are prophane, and hate all Religion and Godlineſs, he may uſe his wit in ſome jeers and ſquibs at Religion, and this may tickle their luſts a little; but a diſcourſe out of Scripture tending to the true ends of Preaching, informing the Judgment in the Doctrines of Faith, or perſuading the practice of Godlineſs, are the moſt unpleaſant ſounds in the world to ſuch mens Ears. There is no Soul breathing, that takes, or can take any pleaſure from, or find any ſweetneſs in reading, or hearing, that experienceth no inward communion with God in the action, or at leaſt that deſires none. 2. A ſecond great Attractive and mover of our deſires, is profit and advantage; and in this caſe it muſt be the profit and advantage of our Souls; for they are actions from which no worldly profit and gain doth ariſe ordinarily. Now all the profit that can be ſo much as imagined to ariſe from the world, as meerly read in our Bibles, or heard opened from the Miniſters of the Goſpel, or meditated upon, can be nothing but ſome ſuperficial notional knowledge in the things of God. Knowledge indeed is an excellent thing, and as pleaſant to an ingenuous Soul as Light is to the Eye, and ſuch a Soul counts it amongſt his gains, and this may, and doth draw out not only true, and good, and pious Souls, to read, and hear Sermons, and ſtudy the Scriptures, but it may, and doth entice and allure others. But the pious Soul feeth a profit beyond this he hath read, 1 Tim. 3. 15. That the holy Scriptures are able to make a man wiſe to ſalvation, through Faith which is in Jeſus Chriſt. V. 17. To make the man of God perfect, throughly furniſhed to every good work. He hath heard that good words from thence have made Souls better, when ſorrow hath made the heart to ſtoop; this is the profit, this the advantage which he promiſeth unto himſelf from the Word of God; this makes him thirſt after a real, inward, ſpiritual communion with God in his Word; he knows nothing leſs than this can anſwer the ends which his Soul aimeth at. That it is not being in the Sanctuary, but his ſeeing the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary, which muſt effect this. Hence it is, that though a more External communion with God in his word be ſweet and deſirable to him, yet he cannot take up with it, but he thirſteth after the Teachings of his Spirit, in and by the Word. But I ſee I muſt leave much of this diſcourſe to other opportunities.