The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 8

The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church · Sermon 8

p. 134….Sermon VIII.

Canticles 1. 2.

Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth; for his Loves are better than Wine.

I Have done now with the matter of the Spouſes (that is the Churches, or the particular believing Souls) prayer in this her firſt Petition; I have nothing (as to the petition it ſelf) to conſider but the form of it. As to the matter we have found, that the thing ſhe would have, is Some Special, diſtinguiſhing favour. Some token of God for good to her which might ſpeak him to love her with the Love of a bridegroom to a bride, a Husband to his Wife.

I have ſhewed you, that ſhe asketh modeſtly but a kiſs, thereby letting us know how precious the leaſt of Chriſts Special, diſtinguiſhing love is to the truly believing Soul. Not that the leaſt diſpenſations, and meaſures of grace, will ſatisfy the Spiritual hunger and thirſt of a pious Soul; it is one thing for a pious Soul to prize, and value the leaſt, another thing to be ſatisfied, and fully contented with it, ſhe therefore mentions Kiſſes in the Plural Number, as well to ſignifie the variety of gracious Influences, as their frequent Emanations. I have further taken notice of her particular deſire after a communion with God in his word, eſpecially Goſpel Doctrines, and that not only a more external Communion with, God in reading, hearing and thinking upon it: But the more reall internal Spiritual communion with God in his word which the Soul hath by the teachings of the Spirit, She deſires not onelyonly to hear the words of his mouth, but to be kiſſed with the kiſſes of his mouth. I have now nothing to do but to conſider the form of her words, and ſee if from thence we can gain any further Spiritual Inſtruction.

p. 135The words are firſt Vox volentis, the Language of a Soul, that was willing to receive theſe impreſſions; if ſhe were not willing, ſhe would not have made them the matter of her requeſt.

Secondly, They are Vox cupientis, not onelyonly the Language of one that was willing but of one inflamed with a deſire after the object willed and propoſed. They do not expreſs a bare velleity with an indifferency as to the thing. They ſound a great deal more then. He may, if he will, kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth.

Laſtly, They are Vox petentis, the language of one upon her knees, begging it of God, as the great thing which ſhe ſought after. And as I obſerved to you in the opening of the words, ſhe begs reverently, modeſtly, humbly, boldly, fervently: The form of her Petition ſpeaketh a well ordered Prayer, a Prayer according to the Rules which God hath given us for putting up our Supplications. Hence reſults the Propoſition.

Prop. That believing Souls are not only very willing, but exceedingly deſirous of a near, ſpiritual communion with Chriſt, and to obtain it will uſe rightly ordered Prayer.

In the Propoſition here are three things predicated of ſuch a Soul as is the Spouſe to this glorious Bridegroom.

1. Its willingneſs that the Lord ſhould have a near and ſpiritual communion with it.

2. It is not only willing but deſirous of it.

3. That in order to it, it will make uſe of rightly ordered Prayer.

I have already told you in my former Diſcourſes, That Communion (ſtrictly taken) ſignifies ſome actions wherein two or more mutually impart, or communicate themſelves each to other. Now of this you know amongſt men there are various degrees. We have ſome communion with ſtrangers, more with our neighbours, friends and acquaintance; moſt of all with our neareſt Relations; the Father with his Child, the Husband with the Wife; of all other the communion betwixt the Husband and Wife, is the neareſt. The Huſband communicates his heart, his love and affection, more to his Wife, than to any other perſon: So doth the Wife reciprocally to her Husband; ſo that of all other, the Conjugal Communion is the neareſt; ſuch is that mentioned in the Text. God communicates himſelf to all his creatures in ſome degree or other; he feedeth the young Ravens when they cry; he maketh his Sun to ſhine upon the juſt p. 136and upon the unjuſt: And they in ſome degree communicate themſelves to him as their Creator: The young Ravens cry; the wicked man houls upon his Bed; the vileſt man in diſtreſs cryes, Lord help me. This is like the Communion now that we may have with Strangers, yea Enemies. God doth further communicate himſelf to thoſe within the pale of his Church. To the Church belongs the Oracles of God; God further reveals his mind and will to ſuch as are within the boſom of it: They alſo do communicate themſelves unto God more than the others, that is, they pay him a further homage; they give him a more ſteady, conſtant, bodily ſervice; they read, hear, pray, &c. This is like our communion with neighbours and ordinary friends. But now God doth further communicate himſelf unto ſome perſons: He communicates his grace and power to their wills and affections; they are thereby made partakers of the Divine Nature, transformed into the Image of God, and they reciprocally having received this Divine grace, give up their hearts unto God; this is that which I mean by near, conjugal communion, being like the communion which the Husband and Wife have each with other, of all other the fulleſt and neareſt. I ſay,

1.Firſt, The believing Soul is willing that God ſhould have ſuch a communion with it. It is paſſively willing, not unwilling: Indeed every regenerate Soul is further willing than this comes to; but that I ſhall ſhew you by and by under another Head. This alone will diſtinguiſh ſuch a Soul, from the Soul of an Hypocrite. Take an unregenerate man, he is not willing to this; he may be willing that God ſhould impart himſelf to him in outward bleſſings, which may gratifie his ſenſe, and ſerve him as to his renewing neceſſities in the world; or that God ſhould impart to him ſome ſpiritual gifts; theſe may ſerve him as to his profit, or as to his honour, credit and reputation in the world; & he may be willing to communicate and impart ſomething of himſelf to God (as I have before ſhewed you) but that God ſhould unite their hearts to fear his Name, (which was the prayer of David) that God ſhould cleanſe them from their corruptions, incline their hearts to his Teſtimonies; this they are not willing to. They are like ſome woman, that will ſay of ſuch a perſon as makes love to her, ſhe likes the man well enough to ſit and talk with her; but for an Husband ſhe cannot abide him. Thus the beſt unregenerate man dealeth with God. Some there are, prophane perſons, that cannot endure the Name of God or Chriſt; hate his Word, and all acts of communion with God, or any thing that relateth to him; but now p. 137the formal Hypocrite, he can be content to go and ſit and hear a Sermon, and read a Chapter, wherein he hears God ſpeaking to him; yea and to pray ſometimes, by which duty he talks with God; but he abhorreth that God ſhould come near to his Soul, to captivate his underſtanding, to ſubdue his will, to direct his affections to truly ſpiritual Objects, he withdraweth his heart and affections from God. I think Auguſtine ſomewhere confeſſeth, that in his unregenerate ſtate, he often prayed to God that he would give him ſtrength againſt a particular corruption, when in the mean time he in his heart wiſhed that God would not hear his prayer. The unregenerate man is not willing that God ſhould have any near communion with him: He is not willing that the Law of God ſhould be wrote upon his heart, nor that the Lord ſhould rule over his inward man.

Secondly, The Regenerate Soul is not only willing, but deſirous: The willingneſs that is in him, is not a bare, lazy velleity, and a paſſive willingneſs, but an active willingneſs; he being made willing, his will commands his affections to move towards that which his will hath choſen; and indeed there is no true willing of any thing without this; for good being the proper Object of the rational appetite, no ſooner hath the underſtanding diſcerned it, but the will chuſeth it, and naturally moveth by deſires towards it.

Thirdly, I obſerved to you, that the words are in the form of a Prayer. What the Will hath choſen as good and ſuitable to a man's neceſſities, and upon that account hath by deſires moved towards, it commandeth the aſſiſtance of the outward man in the uſe of any proper mean to obtain. Prayer being an Ordinance and appointment of God, as a means in order to the obtaining any good thing which he hath promiſed; it is but a reaſonable motion of a reaſonable Soul. I put in the term rightly ordered, becauſe, as I ſhall ſhew you further anon, there is a ſufficient ground for it, in this form of words by which the Spouſe's Petition is expreſſed; and it is not every Prayer that is acceptable to God, but ſuch alone as he hath directed, God hath not only directed our duty as to the matter, but alſo as to the manner of the performance. But this is enough to have ſpoken, to give you the ſenſe of the Propoſition. I ſhall ſhew you now the ground or reaſon of it, whence in this thing there is ſuch a different temper and complexion betwixt the regenerate and the unregenerate Soul. The foundation of this lies in the change of the heart, which is wrought in the Child of God, which ſuppoſed theſe motions of his p. 138Soul, will appear to be no more than the regular motions of reaſonable Souls ſo complexionated. The Scripture every where deſcribeth the Child of God as a New Creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Chriſt he is a new creature, old things are paſſed away, and all things are become new. Epheſ. 4. 23. Be renewed in the ſpirit of your mind; And that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteouſneſs and true holineſs. Col. 3. 10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the Image of him that created him. The Child of God is transformed by the renewing of his mind. Rom. 12. 2. Regenerated and born again. Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God; born again of Water, and of the Spirit, as our Saviour expoundeth it, v. 5. Now this change, this renevation reſpecteth not the ſubſtantial power and faculties of the Soul. The ſame powers and faculties, the ſame underſtanding, will and affections; I mean the ſame powers which we call ſo remain, but they are changed as to their quality and aſpect unto Objects. The ſame wheels of the Soul remain, but they are ſet right, and move more regularly towards what are indeed their true and proper Objects. The natural man's underſtanding is blind, and dark, and weak, and impotent; he calleth good, evil, and evil, good, bitter things ſweet, and ſweet things bitter; his pallate is vitiated, ſo as he neither doth, nor can diſcern things truly and ſpiritually good. Until his nature be cultivated by moral Diſcipline, and ſome ingenious Education, he is like the Beaſt that periſheth, and judgeth of good and evil meerly by ſenſe. When it is cultivated he judgeth of it by reaſon, and determines good and evil according to rational Principles, and in that riſeth no higher, than to the perfection of an Heathen Philoſopher, who knew nothing of any ſuch thing as Union and Communion with God, and either believed nothing of the Immortality of the Soul, and ſo took not himſelf concerned to care for that, or at leaſt had a faint belief, and an imperfect notion of it. But the renewed man hath his underſtanding opened, to diſcern more excellent things. He eaſily ſeeth, That God is the chiefeſt Good, and thence concludes as rationally, that the happineſs of man muſt needs conſiſt in the enjoyment of God, in Union and Communion with him; as the Heathens determined, that the happineſs of a man muſt neceſſarily lye in the f…uition of, and an union with the ſummum bonum, the greateſt good: This being determined by the underſtanding, by that new light and power of diſcerning, given it by God: The will, of whoſe nature p. 139it is to follow the Dictates of the Underſtanding, ordinarily chuſeth and embraceth it, by as natural and rational a working as that wretched Soul that knoweth no be tter things than good Meat, and Drink, and Cloaths, and Eſtates, chooſeth them, and embraceth them before other things: Or the more cultivated Soul chooſeth Learning, and Knowledge, and moral Habits. Only in rega rd there is a particular Debauchery and Corruption of the Will of man, there is a particular work of God upon the Will, changing and altering that, or elſe in Spiritual things it would not follow the Dictate of the Underſtanding, and this may be ſeen in things benea th this Order. We indeed uſually ſay, the Will is a blind faculty, and follows the dictate of the Underſtanding; but ſince the Fall, man is ſo much mancipated and enſlaved to his ſenſual Appetite, that we ſee in daily experience it doth not. The drunkard, the unclean perſons are daily proofs of it, who know well enough that the proſecution of their Luſts in thoſe things doth not only deſtroy their contrary moral Habits, but ruine their Lives, Health, Reputation, yet cannot forbear the purſuit of them. But the Will being thus renewed to chuſe the beſt, ſpiritual good, the affections move in a natural Order after it, and the outward man is commanded to all actions purſuant to it. So that I ſay, this Renovation of the whole Man according to the Image of God is the true cauſe of the Souls willingneſs, and earneſt deſire after theſe neareſt degrees of Communion with God: The underſtanding being thus fully enlightened, to diſcern that God is the chiefeſt good, and that mans greateſt happineſs muſt lie in an Union with him, and enjoyment of him.

2. To which I know nothing can be added, but thoſe meaſures of experience which every renewed Soul hath how good the Lord is. The experience of any good adds much to our Souls value of it, as it confirmeth to us our notion and apprehenſion of it. Many things appear better to us in contemplation, than in fruition: But there can be nothing in nature conceived, more effectual to inflame our affections after any Object, than when beſides the goodneſs our Underſtandings have diſcerned in it, upon which our Wills have made their Election of it, a ſuperadded experience confirmeth our noton of the goodneſs of it. There is no juſtified Soul but hath in ſome meaſure taſted how good the Lord is, and how good a Fellowſhip, and Communion with God is, ſo as it doth but move rationally, in willing and deſiring the neareſt and moſt intimate degrees of it.

I added further: That this Soul as a mean to obtain it, will uſe p. 140rightly ordered Prayer. The Reaſon and ground of this evidently appears, if we conſider;

1. That Prayer is the means to obtain it. No man can be ſo much as preſumed truly to will, and to deſire any thing which he uſeth no means to obtain, or as to which he doth not uſe the proper means to obtain it, if he knows it, the good is here is not ſenſible, or rational, to be acquired by natural or moral means, but is truly and highly ſpiritual; the Communication of the Divine Influences to the Soul, and moſt inward part of man; the means muſt be ſomthing of Divine Inſtitution, ſomthing which God hath appointed as a mean in order to ſo great and bleſſed an end. Prayer is one mean of this Nature. He gives his holy Spirit to them that ask him, ſaith our Saviour. This is a Divine Means, under a Divine Ordination, and Inſtitution, with reference to ſuch an end. This the Believer knoweth, and it is a means within his Power. God hath ſent forth the Spirit of Adoption into his Heart, teaching him to cry Abba Father. The Spirit helpeth his Infirmities with ſtrong cries, and groans which cannot be uttered.

2. He alſo knoweth, that it is not all Prayer will be effective of this, but Prayer according to the Will of God, effectual fervent Prayer. A man may ask amiſs, and not receive. Though therefore an Hypocrite that takes up with a form of Godlineſs, and aims at no right end in his acts of Homage, but drives a by Deſign for himſelf in all his duties, and ſeeketh himſelf more than God, may content himſelf with ſuch performances as anſwer the low mark which he levells his Arrows at: Yet the pious Soul that hath a true aim, and deſign in his Actions, muſt mind ſuch a performance of them as ſhall bear a proportion to the true end he aimeth at; but this is enough to have ſpoken for the Explication and Confirmation of this Propoſition; what this rightly ordered Prayer is, (God willing) I ſhall further open to you in the Application of this Diſcourſe.

Uſe 1.From hence in the firſt place we may take ſome meaſures of our State with reference unto God. None of theſe things can truly be ſaid of a wicked man, or formal Hypocrite.

1. It cannot be ſaid that he is truly willing to have ſuch a Communion with God and Chriſt, as I have been opening and deſcribing to you. They would not have God rule over them; they would have a Chriſt to ſave them from the Wrath to come; but they would not have Chriſt to dwell in their Hearts, to ſubdue their Luſts, no Hypocrite can truly ſay this. They have no deſires after ſuch a p. 141Communion with Chriſt. Their deſires are all terminated in themſelves. They ſay to the Almighty depart from us, we deſire not the knowledge of thy ways. If at any time they pray for any thing of this nature, it is coldly, and lazily, and formally, ſecretly wiſhing they might have no Anſwer to their Prayers. Indeed a true willingneſs, an hearty deſire, and fervent Prayer after this ſpiritual, inward, near Communion with God, may I think be truſted to, as a mark of one who is a Chriſtian indeed. It muſt argue a mighty change in the Heart of man, and ſuch a one as no moral Principles, no change upon the meer cultivation of Nature, can be imagined to effect. Here is clearly a good purſued, which no natural man diſcerneth, no natural Underſtanding judgeth, the Eyes of the Underſtanding muſt firſt be opened. Here muſt be an alteration of the Will of man, the natural bent and inclination of it muſt be changed. This change cannot be from our ſelves, nor from any Creature, but from him alone who giveth to will, and to do.

2d Br.Secondly, You may hence obſerve, that it is not a meer willing a near Communion with Chriſt that will evidence a truth of Grace. It muſt be a willingneſs declared by Intenſe deſires, and attended with Sutable endeavours. It is eaſy for men to ſay they are willing Chriſt ſhould Reign over them, and do his will in and upon their Souls when they are really unwilling. Yea, there may be a real faint velleity, but attended with a careleſneſs as to the obtaining what we pretend to will. All Grace, habitual Grace is expreſt under the notion of willing, God is ſaid to give, To will and to do: To make his people a willing people in the day of his power. There are promiſes made, to thoſe who are Willing, and obedient. And If a man will, let him come and drink of the water of life freely, and Paul Saith no more than To will is preſent with me. But theſe Scriptures muſt not be underſtood of a meerly pretended, and profeſſed willingneſs, nor a faint willingneſs, iſſued in a few Short breathed wiſhes, but of a true and real willingneſs diſcovering it ſelf in the intenſe motions of the Affections, and the intenſe purſuit of the thing, willed, by the whole man. Such a willingneſs Speaketh a change in the heart and where it is preſent with the Soul is accepted.

Uſe 2.But let us upon this occaſion enter into our hearts, and try our Spiritual State upon this iſſue, viz. Whether we be truly willing and deſirous to have this near, inward, conjugal Communion with this glorious Bridegroom. To prove this, the Apoſtle hath expreſſed the Union between Chriſt and the Soul, made by faith in the Juſtification p. 142of a Soul, by the moral Union which in Marriage is betwixt the Husband and Wife, Eph. 5. from v. 25. to the End. We ſhall alſo find that ſtate excellently ſhadowing out the Communion which ſhould be, and is betwixt every Soul and Chriſt; I mean every believing Soul.

1. The Husband and Wife are made one fleſh. Not eſſentially, but morally this was a piece of the Law of Marriage upon its firſt Inſtitution Gen. 2. 24. Sutably to this the Apoſtle Speaks. 1 Cor. 6. 26. He that is joyned to the Lord, is one Spirit. Believers are by Peter ſaid to be made partakers of the Divine Nature. Where there is this true Communion between Chriſt and the Soul, there is in his meaſure the ſame mind in him tha… was in Jeſus Chriſt. He in the general willeth the ſame things that Chriſt willeth. The Glory of God, the Sanctification and eternal Salvation of his own Soul, and the Souls of others, he can as to the main ſay, Fiat voluntas mea; mea quia tua. Let my will be done, mine becauſe thine. If he doth in any thing err, and not will what Chriſt willeth, it is through ignorance, paſſion or infirmity, when he ſeeth his error, his will altereth; hence in our prayers, in things as to which we are not ſure that it is the will of God we ſhould have them, every true Chriſtian, though he may ask for them, prayeth after his Lord's copy, nevertheleſs not my will but thy will be done. Canſt thou ſay this? That the ſame Spirit is in thee that was in Chriſt, that in the general, in the main thou willeſt nothing but what Chriſt willeth, that thou art one Spirit with Chriſt?

Secondly all Conjugal Communion requires forſaking of Father and mother, Gen. 2. 24. A forſaking them to that degree, as to dwell with the Husband, ſo as to adhere to the Husband, or Wife in caſe of an oppoſition, this is alſo the Law of this Spiritual Marriage Pſal. 45. 10. Hearken O Daughter and conſider, and encline thine Ear. Forget alſo thine own people, and thy Fathers Houſe, The Wife that will maintain duly her Conjugal Communion muſt: 1. Not dwell in her Fathers houſe if he may not be with her there. 2. She muſt forſake the Precepts, Counſels and Advice of her deareſt relations, where it is contrary to the will of her Husband. She muſt 3. Forſake them in what they are Enemies and oppoſite to her Husband. What are our own people? What is our Fathers Houſe? But the world and men of it, the Counſels and Imaginations, and inclinations of our own hearts? A true Chriſtian that is by Faith united to Chriſt is not obliged in order to his or her Communion with him, wholly to p. 143forſake the world, and caſt off Earthly Friends converſe or relations, he is onelyonly bound Not to dwell in the world not to make that his whole buſineſs, but to have his heart in heaven, to uſe the world as if he uſed it not. Not to hearken to the Precepts, Counſels, and Advices of the world contrary to the will of Chriſt. Not to take the worlds part in oppoſition to the Law of Chriſt; thus much the Wives Conjugal Communion with her Husband, and the Souls Spiritual Conjugal Communion with Chriſt calls to it for, the preference of Chriſts will, both to its own natural Will, and to all the Wills of men.

Thirdly. Look as in Marriages, the Communion following that moral Union requires a cleaving of the Married Perſons each to other, Gen. 2. 24. So the Communion that followeth this Myſtical Union requireth this of every Chriſtian, to cleave unto Chriſt, to his Truths, his Intereſts and Concerns in the World, his Friends, his Will, all that is his. This cleaving I underſtand not as reſtrained to the inward motions of the Affections, as it is ſaid, Sechem's heart clave to Dinah: But I extend it further to all overt Acts, by which this inward Affection may be diſcovered, in the ſame ſenſe as we ſay to our Friends. I will ſtick to you, or I will ſtand by you. Chriſt performs his part he ſticks, he cleaves to the Believers, in all its Spiritual Combates, and Dangers with, or from, the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil: Thus muſt we cleave to him.

Fourthly, 'Tis a piece of Conjugal Communion. That the Wife does nothing but ſhe will firſt acquaint her Husband with it, ask his Counſel, take his Direction. The Husband alſo imparts much of his Counſel to his Wife: 'Tis a piece of our Communion, true Communion with Chriſt, to do nothing without taking Counſel of him in his Word, without asking his Directions in Prayer, in every difficulty where we have not a clear direction in the Word of God, to fly to him by Prayer and Supplications.

Are your Souls willing to entertain ſuch a Communion with Chriſt as this is? Are you deſirous of it? Do you pray for it? This ſpeak… eth well for the Union betwixt Chriſt and your Souls, nothing leſs than this will.

Uſe 3.This Diſcourſe may be further uſeful to ſome Souls, that it may be cannot ſatisfie themſelves in that Communion which they have with the Lord Jeſus; they would willingly that Chriſt ſhould impart more of his Loving-kindneſs, and of his Power to their Souls, and they are troubled, that they can no more freely, no more fully p. 144give up themſelves to him; their Hearts are not united enough to love and fear God, and indeed the beſt Souls are ſeldom ſatisfied in the Reception of Grace, or in the Actings of it. Now ſuch Souls as are overmuch troubled in this caſe, troubled to that degree as for want of degrees to ſuſpect all the truth of Grace in their Souls. This may be ſome ſatisfaction to hear, that it ſpeaks a Soul to be the Spouſe of Chriſt to be truly willing, ſincerely deſirous, much in Prayer for thoſe degrees of neareſt Communion with Chriſt which it ſtands in need of. In Earthly Marriages three things are required, 1. Conſent of Parties. 2. Conſent of Parents. 3. Publication of it to the World. The firſt alone is eſſential to the Union. The ſecond to make it a perfectly lawful Act. The third only to avoid Scandal and to keep up Civil Order in the World. In the Spiritual Marriage the Conſent of Parties makes the Union. Chriſts Conſent to be united to thy Soul, is evidenced in his Word declared by us, who are his Proxies to eſpouſe you to this Husband. If thy Soul alſo truly conſents, if thou truly deſireſt this Union, and that Communion which followeth and ought to follow it, the Match is made, thou art joined to the Lord, though it may be there be not a Publication of it to thy own Soul, much leſs to the World.

Uſe 4.I ſhall conclude with a Word of Exhortation, To labour for this evidence of Grace. That you may be truly willing to, truly deſirous of ſuch a Communion with Chriſt, as I have been deſcribing. You that are yet ſtrangers to it, labour for the beginnings of it. You that find any thing of it, labour to uphold it, and labour for the Perfection of it. To the firſt, by way of Counſel, I would only ſpeak a few things.

1. Labour to be convinced of your ſad condition, till Grace hath brought you into this better State. Chriſt told the Woman of Samaria ſhe had had many Husbands, and he whom ſhe then enjoyed was not her Husband. Unregenerate Men have many Paramours; for there is no Soul but cleaveth to ſomthing, one mans Heart cleaveth to his Pleaſures, another to his Profits, but all theſe are not the reaſonable Souls Husbands, the Soul cannot feed upon theſe things. Let a Woman be married to a Man, and run away from him ſhe may have another Paramour, but he is not her Husband. It is Mans Caſe; he was in Creation united to God, he is run away from God, and followeth many Lovers, but none of theſe are the Souls Husbands. O therefore return to your firſt Husband, what can you imagine God ſhould do for any of your Souls, more than any p. 145one of you would do for a Wife, that had run away from you, and clave to another man.

2. Look as the Woman that wanteth her Husband, hath none that ſo naturally careth for her, none that will be a covering to her Head, or a Light to her Eyes, ſo neither hath the Soul in its ſtate of diſunion with God, any that will care for it, as to its Spiritual and Eternal Concerns. I might add the infinite advantages of this Union and Communion; I remember the Argument uſed by Hamor and Sechem, to perſuade their People into a Willingneſs to be circumciſed, that Sechem might be married into Jacob's Family. Shall not (ſay they) their Cattle, and Subſtance, and all that they have be ours, only conſent to them? Shall not the Grace, and Glory, and Kingdom of Chriſt be yours, only conſent to him, and be willing to a Communion with him? But it is the Lord that muſt perſuade Japhet to come, and to dwell in the Tents of Shem. No man comes to the Son but he whom the Father draweth; and while there is a ſpiritual Union, it is unreaſonable to think there ſhould be any Willingneſs in a Soul to any near Communion with Chriſt. We may uſe Arguments with Souls eſtranged from God, to reconcile them to him, and it is our Duty ſo to do; till God concurreth with the work of his Spirit they will be of no force.

Let me therefore turn to ſuch with whom this myſtical Union is made. Nor ſhall I need uſe words with any ſuch, to perſuade them to a conſent or willingneſs to, or deſire of this near Communion with Chriſt which I have been diſcourſing; there is no ſuch Soul but muſt be willing, muſt be deſirous of it: But there is none of them which hath attained, there's no ſuch Soul but hath attained ſomthing, nor any that hath attained to Perfection, none but may receive from Chriſt more than it hath received, none but deſireth his Heart might be more in ſubjection to Chriſt than it is. The way further to attain is Prayer, rightly ordered Prayer. It is the Spouſe that ſpeaketh in the Text, ſhe had attained, ſhe was already united to her Spiritual Bridegroom; but yet ſhe finds her Soul in a continuing need of his Influences, and further Tokens for good to be ſhewed unto her, for theſe ſhe uſeth Prayer as an appoſite means. Only we may ask and not receive, becauſe we ask amiſs. Let us look over the form of the Spouſes Petition, and ſee what we may learn from thence to guide our Souls in our Applications to God.

Firſt, The word in the Hebrew foreign in the future Tenſe, which is often uſed for the … Mood in the Hebrew, and may indifferently p. 146be tranſlated, Let him kiſs me, or He ſhall, or will kiſs me with the Kiſſes of his Mouth. Her Prayer was the Prayer of Faith. This is a prime requiſite in all our Prayers to God. Math. 21. 22. And all things whatſoever you ſhall ask in Prayer believing, you ſhall receive. Jam. 5. 15. The Prayer of Faith ſaveth the ſick. He (ſaith the Apoſtle) that cometh unto God muſt believe that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of thoſe that ſeek him. Nor is that General Faith enough for that Soul that goeth to God, for any particular Mercy, there muſt be a more particular Faith, both as to Gods Power, and Love, with reference to that good thing, that God is able to do that thing for him: yea and willing alſo ſo far as in his infinite Wiſdom he ſhall ſee it good. When the blind men had come to Chriſt begging Mercy, Matth. 9. 27, 28. (ſaith he) Believe you that I'am able to do this? They ſaid, Yea Lord, then he touched their Eyes. Nay the Prayer of Faith ſignifieth more, a truſting and relying on God for the doing of the thing we ask. It is very much to obſerve how much the holy Scripture layeth upon this with Reference to the hearing and anſwering our Prayers. Jam. 1 5. If any of you lack Wiſdom let him ask of God: But (v. 6.) let him ask in Faith, nothing wavering: According to your Faith (ſaith Chriſt) ſo be it to you. The Unregenerate man cannot ask in Faith, he wants the Habit, his Soul is ſhut up in Unbelief, and Gods People may be too guilty of not asking in Faith, giving too much way to temptations, and hearkening too much to the jealouſies and ſuſpicions of their own Souls.

Secondly, The Spouſes Phraſe ſpeaks an holy boldneſs. He ſhall kiſs me with the Kiſſes of his Mou…h, Indeed this differs but gradually from the other it muſt be a boldneſs of Faith, and in this Senſe we are to come boldly to the Throne of Grace. Eph. 3. 12. We have boldneſs and acceſs with confidence, through the Faith of him. Hence Heb. 4. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in a time of need.

Thirdly The abrup…neſs of the Phraſe ſpeaketh Paſſion, and Ferveney. The fervent Prayer of the Righteous availeth much. Jam 5. 16. foreign, The working Prayer When the whole Soul is in Prayer ſet on work, the Underſtanding diſcerning the good the Soul prayeth for, diſcerning God able to give it, and willing alſo, diſcerning the Promiſe by which God hath made himſelf a Debter to the Creature for it. The Will in willing it, the Affections in intenſe deſires of it. Men may pray, and their Souls be hardly ſet at work p. 147at all, only they ſo far as it influenceth the Eye to ſee Words in a Book, or the Underſtanding to invent Words which the Tongue may utter. This Prayer ſignifies little, it is the fervent working Prayer that availeth much, when the whole Soul is at work, wreſtling with God as Jacob did, that it may receive the Bleſſing.

Fourthly, The form of the Word ſpeaks Reverence: Let him kiſs me. O that it might pleaſe the Lord to kiſs me, (ſo much the Phraſe ſounds in our Dialect.) In all our Service of God, he requireth Reverence and a godly Fear. He that dareth not to come to God, but doubteth whether he may preſume to ask of him, knoweth not the Lords goodneſs, he that dares to come without Reverence knoweth not the Lords Majeſty, and Greatneſs. As boldneſs and Confidence without doubting, becomes us with reſpect to his Goodneſs, Love, and Faithfulneſs, ſo Fear and Reverence becomes us with reference to the Greatneſs and Majeſty of the Divine Being.

Laſtly her Speech ſpeaketh Modeſty: She asketh but a Kiſs. Modeſty is not oppoſite to an holy Boldneſs in Prayer. She peremptorily asks ſomthing which might ſpeak his ſpecial peculiar Love: Yet there is a modeſty imported in her words, in that ſhe asketh no more than the Kiſſes of his Mouth. In three things we ſhould ſhew a Modeſty in Prayer, if it be rightly ordered.

1. In the asking the good things of this Life, with a due Submiſſion to the Will and Wiſdom of God. It ſpeaketh too much boldneſs with God, to be too importunate for things that are not abſolutely and infallibly good for us under all circumſtances. It is enough for us that God hath promiſed to withhold from us no good thing. We prefer our own to the Divine Wiſdom, in ſuch importunities.

2. In the asking of Spiritual Mercys Modeſty ought to be ſhewed alſo, in ſubmitting our ſelves to the VVill of God, as to Diſpenſations, or Degrees of gracious Manifeſtations, not abſolutely neceſſary; they may be asked, but they ought to be asked with limitations; if God ſeeth they be good for us, if he that knoweth our Hearts, ſeeth that we will uſe them for his Glory, &c.

3. In not preſcribing time to God, as to the granting of thoſe things, which are not in the preſent time neceſſary. We ought to believe God wiſer than our ſelves, and to limit our Requeſts by the Terms of his Promiſe, to beg the things which God hath promiſed, upon the Terms which he hath promiſed.

p. 148I have now finiſhed my Diſcourſes as to the Spouſes firſt Petition, Let him kiſs me with the Kiſſes of his Mouth: I ſhall in my next exerciſe proceed to the Argument by which ſhe backeth this her firſt Petition, For thy Loves are better than VVine.