The Eleventh Meditation, Upon Cant. 8:6
shall work alone: in a word, more durable and perpetual; we shall be ever with the Lord', 1 Thess. 4:7. Long therefore to drink that new wine in the Father's kingdom. 'The Spirit and the bride say, Come; and let him that heareth, say, Come. Even so, come Lord Jesus; come quickly.'
THE ELEVENTH MEDITATION,
UPON CANT. 8:6
Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm; for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
THIS book is a sacred allegory: the sense thereof is deep and spiritual. Our unacquaintedness with such schemes and figures of speech, together with the want of spiritual light and experience, makes it difficult to be understood; but the allegory being once unfolded by reason of its affinity with the fancy, truth is more easily and affectingly transmitted, both to the mind and heart.
St. Augustin assigns this reason, why we are so much delighted with metaphors and allegories; because they are so much proportioned to our senses, with which our reason hath contracted an intimacy and familiarity: and therefore God, to accommodate his truth to our capacity, doth, as it were, embody it in earthly expressions; according to that of the ancient Cabbalists, Lumen supremum nunquam
descendit sine idumento; heavenly truth never descendeth to us without its veil and covering.
The words before us, are the request of the spouse to Jesus Christ; and consists of two parts, viz.
1. Her suit; which is earnest.
2. Her argument; which is weighty.
1. Her earnest suit, or request to Jesus Christ: 'Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm.' The heart of Christ notes his most dear, inward, and tender affection; his arm notes his protecting and preserving care and power. The last naturally follows the first; what men dearly affect, they tenderly and carefully protect.
And by setting her as a seal upon his heart and arm, she means a sure and a well-confirmed interest, both in his love and power; this she would have firmly sealed and ratified: and that this is her meaning, will plainly appear from The argument with which she enforces her request: 'For love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave,' &c.
By jealousy, we must understand her fears and suspicions of coming short of Christ and his love; q. d. What if after all I should be deceived? What if Jesus Christ do not love me with a special love? O these fears and suspicions are intolerable torments to her; she cannot bear them: they are cruel as the grave; insufferable as coals of fire, which have a most vehement flame; q. d. Lord, if thou leave me in the midst of these jealousies of thy love, I shall be but a torment to myself; I shall live as one upon the rack, or in the flames. Hence the note is,
Doct. That there is nothing in this world, which true Christians more earnestly desire, than to be well assured and satisfied of the love of Jesus Christ to their souls.
In the meditation of this point, two things must be enquired into:
1. Why this assurance is so desirable.
2. How it may be obtained.
1. Why the assurance of the love of Christ is so desirable in the eyes of true Christians. And among others, there are two things that especially make it so: viz.
1. The sweetness of its enjoyment.
2. The difficulty of its attainment.
The sweetness of its enjoyment, which is inexpressible, and inconceivable; for it is a mercy above all estimation. It is,
1. The riches of faith.
2. The rest and ease of the heart.
3. The pleasure of life.
4. A cordial at death.
5. A sweet support in all troubles.
1. It is the very riches of faith, the most pleasant fruit which grows upon the top branches of faith. The scripture tells us of an assurance of understanding, hope, and faith. All these graces are precious in themselves; but the assurance of each of them is the most sweet and
pleasant part. Knowledge, above knowledge, is the full assurance of knowledge: hope above hope, is the full assurance of hope: and faith above faith, is the full assurance of faith. The least and lowest act of saving faith is precious, and above all value; what then must the highest and most excellent acts of faith be? Certainly, there is a sweetness in the assurance of faith, that few men have the privilege to taste; and they that do, can find no words able to express it to another's understanding. The weakest Christian is exalted above all other men; but the assured Christian hath a preference before all other Christians.
2. It is heart's ease; the very sabbath and sweet repose of the soul.
Thousands of poor Christians would part with all they possess in this world, to enjoy it; but it flies from them. The life that most of them live, is a life betwixt hopes and fears; their interest in Christ is very doubtful to them. Sometimes they are encouraged, from sensible workings of grace; then all is dashed again, by the contrary stirrings and workings of their own corruptions. Now the sun shines out clear, by and by the heavens are overcast and clouded again: but the assured Christian is at rest, from those tormenting fears and jealousies which my text speaks of, that are as cruel as the grave, and as insufferable as coals of fire in a man's bosom. He can take Christ into the arms of faith, and say, 'My beloved is mine, and I am his.
Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee!'
3. It is the pleasure of life; yea, the most rational, pure, and transporting pleasure. What is life without pleasure? And what pleasure is there in the world, comparable to this pleasure? For let the sealed and assured believer consider, and compare; and he must needs find a joy and pleasure, beyond the joy of the whole earth. If he consider well what he is assured of, it is no common mercy, but
Christ himself, and his love; a mercy incomprehensible by men or angels; Eph. 3:19. Put Christ into the sensible possession of a believer, and joy is no more under his command for that time: he cannot forbear to rejoice; and especially when his thoughts are exercised in comparing states and conditions; either his own with other men's, or his own now, with what it was, and what it shall be.
To think with thyself thus, I am assured of Christ, and his love: my interest in him is sealed; but this is a mercy few enjoy besides me.
There be millions of souls of equal value with mine by nature, that shall never enjoy such a mercy as this. Yea, the time was, when I myself was far from it, in my unregenerated state. Lord, how is it I had not then been sealed to damnation? O, it is well with me for the present, that I can call Christ my own; and yet it will be better and better: my condition will mend every day. I am now in Christ; and it is but a little while, before I shall be with Christ, and arrive at the full satisfaction of my very heart. O, what pleasure doth every glance, backward or forward, give to the sealed soul.
4. It is a cordial in death; and there is none like it. This will make the soul triumph over the grave, take death cheerfully by the cold hand, welcome its grim messengers, and long to be gone, and be with Christ. Dark and doubting Christians may indeed shrink back from it, and be afraid of the exchange; but the assured soul longs to be gone, and needs patience to live, as other men do to die. When one was asked, if he were willing to die? his answer was, Illius est nolle mori, qui nolit ire ad Christum; Let him be loth to die, that is loth to go to Christ: The sugar of assurance sweetens the bitter cup of death, and makes it delectable to a believer's relish.
5. In a word it is a sweet support, in all the troubles and afflictions on this side the grave. Let the assured soul be cast into what condition the Lord pleases; be it upon a bed of sickness; yet this gives his soul
such support and comfort, that he shall not say, I am sick. Sin being forgiven, the soul is well, when the body is in pain, Isa. 33:24. Let him be cast into a prison, here is that which will turn a prison into a paradise, Acts 5:41. Let him be pinched with outward want; this will supply all: "As having nothing, and yet possessing "all things," 2 Cor.
6:10. Thus you see how desirable it is for its own excellency.
2. And as it is desirable for the sweetness of its own enjoyment, so also from the difficulty of its attainment. All excellencies are locked up under many difficulties; but none like this. It is indeed easy to presume an interest in Christ, and cheat a man's own soul with a dream and fancy of our own creation; but it is hard to get a sealed clear title to Christ and his benefits. And there be, among others, three things that make it difficult.
(1.) The corruptions that remain, and daily work in the best hearts; these are evermore puzzling and fearing the poor soul, with fears and doubts about its condition. Grace teacheth men due severity to themselves; and fear of their own deceitfulness, makes them think no hearts are like their hearts; especially whilst they compare other men's outside with their own inside, as generally they do. Oh, how do our own corruptions every moment raise mists and clouds that it is a wonder we ever should have one clear beam of assurance shining into such hearts, as our hearts are!
(2.) The multitudes of mistakes and cheats that are frequently committed, and found in this matter, makes upright hearts the more suspicious and doubtful of their own condition. O when they read
Mat. 7:22 that many will say to Christ in that day, Lord we have prophesied in thy name, &c. it scares them, lest they also be deceived.
(3.) The grand importance of the matter, makes poor souls fearful of concluding certainly about it. O when a man considers, that the whole weight of his eternal happiness or misery, depends upon the resolution of these questions, Am I in Christ; or am I not! it will make him tremble to determine. In a word, assurance is not in our power, or at our command. There be many holy, humble, diligent, and longing souls, to whom it is denied: it is arbitrarily dispensed by the pleasure of the Spirit, to whom he will: and such favours are rare, even among true believers; the more therefore it is to be valued and desired by all, as the spouse doth in this place. And so much to the first thing; Upon what account the assurance of Christ's love is so desirable in the eyes of Christians.
2. In the last place, let us consider, how this mercy, which is so desirable, may be obtained; And this is our proper work and business at this time.
You are now come to a sealing ordinance, instituted on purpose for this noble end and use. O that we would pray and plead for it, as the spouse here doth! "Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave,"
&c. Now, in order to the attainment of this most desirable mercy, take a few necessary hints of your present work and duty, in the following directions.
Directions Direction I. Would you be well secured of Christ's love to you, and that you are set as a seal upon his heart? Then exercise and manifest more love to Christ, and let him be much upon your hearts. If it be clear to you, that you have true love to Jesus Christ, you need not at all to doubt, but you are in his heart, and in his love: I love them that love me, Prov. 8:17. And surely you have now before you the greatest
motive in the world, to inflame your love to Jesus Christ. Behold him as he is here represented to you, wounded for your iniquities; yea, sacrificed to the wrath of God, for your peace, pardon, and salvation!
"O what manner of love is this! Behold how he loved thee!" If Christ's love draw forth thine, it will so far clear thy interest in his love, as it shall engage thy heart in love to him.
Direction II. But seeing the activity of your love will be according to the activity of your faith; therefore, in the next place, I advise you to make it the main work and business of this hour, to exercise your faith upon Jesus Christ. Set yourselves this day to believe: The more strong the direct acts of your faith shall be, the more clear and comfortable its reflex acts are like to be.
There are three distinct offices, or employments for your faith, at this table, viz.
1. To realize.
2. To apply.
3. To infer, from the sufferings of Jesus Christ.
1. To realize the sufferings of Christ for you, and behold them here represented in a true glass to the eye of faith. See you that bread broken, and that wine poured out? As sure as this is so, Jesus Christ endured the cross, suffered the wrath of the great and terrible God, in his soul, and in his body, upon the cursed tree, for, and in the room of poor condemned sinners. Your faith for the one hath as much, yea, more certainty, than your senses hath for the other. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners," 1 Tim. 1:15. "And without
controversy, great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifested in the flesh," &c. 1 Tim. 3:16.
2. Apply the sufferings of Christ this day to thine own soul: Believe all this to be done and suffered in thy room, and for thy sake. He offered not this sacrifice for his own sins, but ours: Isa. 53:9. Heb.
7:27. He was incarnate for you, Isa. 9:6. "For us a child is born; to us a son is given." His death was for you, and in your stead, Gal. 3:13.
"He was made a curse for us;" and when he arose from the dead, "he rose for our justification," Rom. 4:25. And now he is in glory, at the right hand of God, he is there for us, Heb. 7:25. "He ever lives, to make intercession for us." It was the pride, passion, earthliness, and unbelief of thy heart, which Jesus Christ groaned, bled, and died, to procure a pardon for.
3. Infer from the sufferings of Christ, those conclusions of faith that tend to assurance. As thus: Did Christ die for me, when I was an enemy? Then surely, being reconciled, I shall be saved by his life,
Rom. 5:10. Again; If Christ died for me? Then I shall never die eternally. Nothing shall "separate me from the love of God; it is
Christ that died," Rom. 8:34.
Direction III. Mourn over all those sins, that cause the Lord to hide his face from your souls. Have you grieved the Spirit by your sins? O be grieved for it this day at your very hearts; cover the table of the Lord with tears: "Look upon him whom you have pierced, and mourn as for an only son." Though there be no merit, yet there is much mercy in a broken heart for sin; and there is no such advantage to get your hearts broken, as this is, which is now before you. When the shower of repentance is fallen, the heavens over thee may be clear, and the sun shine out in its brightness upon thy soul.
Direction IV. In a word; pour out thy soul to God, in hearty desires, for a sealed and clear interest in his love this day: Tell him, it is mercy thou valuest above life; thy favour is better than life, Ps. 63:3.
Tell him, thou art not able to live with the jealousies and suspicions of his love; thou art but a torment to thyself, whilst thy interest in his love abides under a cloud. Beseech him to pity thy poor afflicted soul, which hath lain down and risen so long with these fears and tremblings, and been a stranger to comfort for so many day. Tell him, how weak thy hands have been, and still are, in duties of obedience, for want of this strength and encouragement. Engage thy soul to him this day, to be more active, cheerful, and fruitful in his service; if it will please him now, to free thee from those fears and doubts, that have clogged thee in all thy former duties. O, cry unto him in the words, and with the deep sense of the spouse in this text;
"Set me as a seal upon thy heart, (which hath a most vehement heat,) as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave; the coals thereof are coals of fire," &c.
THE TWELFTH MEDITATION,
UPON EPH. 3:19
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.
THE knowledge of Christ, and of his love, is deservedly, in this place, set down among the desiderata Christianorum, the most desirable
enjoyments of believers in this world. This love of Christ had entered the apostle's heart; he was swallowed up in the meditation and admiration of it, and would have all hearts inflamed and affected with it, as his was.
Some think the apostle speaks extatically in this place, and knows not how to make the parts of his discourse consistent with each other, when he puts them upon endeavours to know that love of Christ, which himself confesses to pass knowledge.
But though his heart was ravished with the love of Christ, yet there is no contradiction or inconsistency in his discourse. He doth earnestly desire for the Ephesians, that they may know the love of Christ; i.e. that they may experimentally know his love, which passeth knowledge: That is, as some expound it, all other kinds of knowledge; yea, and all knowledge of Christ, which is not practical and experimental. Or thus: Labour to get the clearest and fullest apprehensive knowledge of Christ and his love, that is attainable in this world, though you cannot arrive to a perfect comprehensive knowledge of either. Mens humana hoc et capit, et none capit; atque in eo capita, quod rapitur in admirationem: as others reconcile it.
The note from it is, Doct. That the love of Christ surpasses, and transcends, the knowledge of the most illuminated believers.
The love of Christ is too deep for any created understanding to fathom; it is unsearchable love, and it is so in divers respects.
1. It is unsearchable, in respect of its antiquity; No understanding of man can trace it back to its first spring; it flows from one eternity to another. We receive the fruits and effects of it now; but, O how
ancient is that root that bears them! He loved us before this world was made, and will continue so to do, when it shall be reduced into ashes. It is said, Prov. 8:29, 30, 31. 'When he gave the sea his decree, when he appointed the foundations of the earth; then was I by him, as one brought up with him; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him: rejoicing in the habitable parts of his earth, and my delights were with the sons of men.'
2. The freeness of the love of Christ passes knowledge. No man knows, nor can any words express, how free the love of Christ to his people is: It is said, Isa. 55:8. My thoughts are not your thoughts.
The meaning is, My grace, mercy, and love to you, is one thing, as it is in my thoughts, and quite another thing when it comes into your thoughts. In my thoughts, it is like itself, free, rich, and unchangeable; but in your thoughts it is limited and narrowed, pinched in within your strait and narrrow conceptions; that it is not like itself, but altered according to the model and platform of creatures, according to which you draw it in your minds. Alas! we do but alter and spoil his love, when we think there is any thing in us, or done by us, that can be a motive, inducement, or recompence to it.
His love is so free, that it pitched itself upon us, before we had any loveliness in us at all: 'when we were in our blood, he said unto us, live;' and that was the time of love. It did not stay till we had our ornaments upon us; but embraced us in our blood, in our most loathsome state; and of all seasons, that is the season of love, the chosen time of love, Ezek. 16:7, 8. Christ loved us, not upon the account of any foreseen excellency in us, or upon any expectation of recompence from us: Nay, he loved us not only without, but against our deserts. Nothing in nature is found so free, as the love of Christ is; our thoughts therefore of this love going beyond all examples and instances that are found amongst men, quickly lose themselves in an
immense ocean of free grace, where they can find neither bank nor bottom.
The bounty and liberality of the love of Christ to his people, passeth knowledge. Who can number, or value the fruits of his love? They are more than the sands upon the sea shore. It would weary the arm of an angel, to write down the thousandth part of the effects of his love, which come to the share of any particular Christian in this world.
Who can tell how many sins it pardons? 'The free gift is of many offences unto justification;' Rom. 5:16. How many dangers it prevents; or how many wants it supplies? This, we know, that 'of his fulness we all receive grace for grace;' John 1:16. But how full of grace Christ is, and how many mercies have flowed, and shall flow to us out of that fountain of love; this is unknown to men, to the best, wisest, and most observant men. O if the records of the mercies of our lives were, or could be gathered and kept, what vast volumes would they swell to! It is true, indeed, you have the total sum given you in 1 Cor. 3:22. All are yours; but it is such a number, as no man can number.
The constancy of Christ's love to his people passeth knowledge: No length of time, no distance of place, no change of condition, either with him or us, can possibly make any alteration of his affections towards us: 'He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever,' Heb.
13:8. It is noted also by the evangelist; John 13:1. 'That having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end.' It is true, his condition is altered; he is no more in this world conversing with his people, as he did once in the days of his flesh: He is now at the right-hand of God, in the highest glory; but yet his heart is the same that ever it was, for love and tenderness to his people. Our conditions also are often altered in this world; but his love suffers no alteration.
Yea, which is much more admirable, we do many things daily, that
grieve him, and offend him; yet he takes not away his lovingkindness from us, nor suffers his faithfulness to fail. We pour out so much cold water of unkindness and provocation, as is enough to cool and quench any love in the world, except his love; but notwithstanding all, he continues unchangeable in love to us. This
Peter found, notwithstanding that great offence of his: No sooner was the Lord risen from the dead, but he greets him in the stile of his former love and antient respect; Go tell the disciples, and tell Peter.
So then the love of Christ is a love transcending all creature-love, and human understanding. We read in Rom. 5:7, 8 that 'peradventure for a good man, some would even dare to die;' but we never find where any, beside Jesus Christ, would lay down his life for enemies. It is recorded as an unparalleled instance of love in Damon and Pythias, the two Sicilian philosophers, that each had courage enough to die for his friend. One of them being condemned to die by the tyrant; and desiring to give the last farewell to his family; his friend went into prison for him, as his surety to die for him, if he returned not at the appointed time: But he did dot die; yea, he had such a confidence in his friend, that he would not suffer him by default to die for him; and if he had, yet he had died for his friend. But such was the love of Christ, that it did not only put him into danger of death, but put him actually unto death, yea, the worst of deaths, and that for his enemies. O what manner of love was this! We read of the love that Jacob had for Rachel, and how he endured both the cold of winter, and heat of summer, for her sake. But what is this to the love of Jesus, who for us endured the heat of God's wrath? Beside, she was beautiful, but we unlovely. David wished for Absalom his son, Would
God I had died for thee! But it was but a wish; and had it come to the proof, David would have shrinked from death, for all the affection he bare his beautiful son. But Christ actually gave his life for us, and did
not only wish he had done it. O love, transcending the love of creatures; yea, and surmounting all creature-knowledge!
The Uses follow 1. Use. If the love of Christ pass knowledge, O then admire it! yea, live and die in the wonder and admiration of the love of Christ! As it is a sign of great weakness, to admire small and common things; so it speaks great stupidity not to be affected with great and unusual things. O Christian! if thou be one that conversest with the thoughts of this love, thou canst not but admire it; and the more thou studiest, the more still wilt thou be astonished at it. And among the many wonders that will appear in the love of Christ, these two will most of all affect thee, viz.
1. That ever it pitched at first on thee.
2. That it is not, by so many sins, quenched towards thee.
1. It is admirable, that ever the love of Christ pitched at first upon thee; for are there not millions in the world, of sweeter tempers, and better constitutions than thyself, whom it hath passed by, and yet embraced thee? 'Lord, (said the disciples) how is it, that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?' John 14:22. Surely he did not set his love upon thee, nor choose thee, because thou wast better than others, but because he loved thee.
2. It is admirable, that his love to thee is not extinguished by so many sins as thou hast committed against him. Lay thy hand, Christian, this day upon thy heart, and bethink thyself, how many have been the provocations, wrongs, and dishonours thou hast been guilty of against thy God, and that since he called thee by his grace, and set his love upon thee. What, and yet love thee still! Yea,
notwithstanding all, he is still thy God, and loves thee with an unchangeable love. O, with how many notwithstandings is his love continued to thy soul! All this is just matter of admiration and wonder for ever.
3. Is the love of Christ past knowledge, an unsearchable love? Then learn, whence and why it is, that the souls of believers never are, nor can be tired, in beholding and enjoying Jesus Christ. We use to say, one thing is tiresome; and it is very true, if it be an earthly thing, it will be so, how sweet or excellent soever it seems at first: And the reason is, because the best creature-enjoyment is but a shallow thing, and a few thoughts will sound it to the bottom; and there being no supply of new matter, to feed the hungry soul upon, it is quickly sated and cloyed with the repetition of the same thing over and over.
But it is far otherwise in Christ: For though he be but one, yet in that one thing all things are virtually and eminently contained; so that every day he seems a new Christ for sweetness, and yet is the same
Christ still. And in heaven the redeemed shall view him with as much wonder, and love him with as much ardour, after millions of years, as they did at their first sight of him. O, there is no bottom in the love of Christ; it passeth knowledge.
4. In a word; Bestow your best and chiefest love upon Christ, whose love to you passeth all knowledge. Let no creature be loved equally with Christ; but as his love to you passeth all creature-love, so let yours to him be a matchless love.
Believer; Christ loves thee with an unsearchable love; he loves thee more than the dearest friend, that is as thine own soul, loves thee. He loves thee more than thou lovest thy child, or the wife of thy bosom; more than thy soul loves thy body, with which it is so intimately united: And wilt thou content thyself with such poor, narrow, remiss