Firsty To come to this table with sharp and hungry appetites. Have you ever tasted, That the Lord is gracious? And do you not hunger and thirst, to taste it again ? Surely, " Where the carcase is, thither will the eagles be gathered ;" Matth. xxiv. 28. There is a twofold appetite ; a dainty, and an hungry appetite. Beware of a nice and dainty appetite, that can relish nothing in the most solid and spiritual duties, except the dish be garnished with flowers of rhetoric, or the matter served in with art and elegancy. This hath been the great sin of the professors of this generation. O Christians ! no more of that I pray you. Were you really an hungered and athirst for Christ, you would come to his ordinances, as famishing men to a feast.
Secondly, To feed heartily upon Christ, in every ordinance, and in every sacrament especially. O that your souls might hear, and answer that invitation this day ! Cant. v. 1. ' Eat, O friends : drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.'
For motives, I will only hint these three following.
First, Christ ii the matter of the feast. God hath prepared him
SACRAMENTAL MEDITATIOXS. 449
for your souls. Is any thing in heaven or earth so sweet, as Christ sacrificed is ? Do not the angels and saints in heaven feast upon him ? Surely one drop of Christ's blood hath more sweetness and excellency in it, than the whole ocean of all creature-comforts.
Secondly^ Do not your graces need it ? Have you not a languish- ing love, a staggering faith, dull and sluggish desires ? Look into your hearts, and see what need there is of strengthening the things that are in you^ w?iich are ready to die. O feed upon Christ, that your graces may be revived and strengthened.
Thirdly^ Do you know how many days you are to go in the strength of this meal ? How long it may be, ere you sit again at the I^ord's table ? Surely, even these, as well as your inferior temporal comforts, stand upon terms of greatest uncertainty. Ah Christians ! consider well the times you live in, the enemy that stands ready to take away the cloth, and remove your spiritual food from you. It is said of Peter Martyr, that being in Oxford when queen Mary came in, and hearing the first mass-bell ring ; he was struck to the heart, and ?said, Hooc una notiila omnem meam doctrinam evertit : This one tinkling bell overthrows all the labours of my ministry at once.
God grant that we may hear none of that music in England any more : but it is like to be, according to your estimation and improve- ment of Christ's precious ordinances.
Thirdly, Commend the experienced siveetness of Christ to others. Do not conceal his loveliness and excellency. Thus the fair and enamoured spouse charges, or adjures others; Cant. v. 9. Be not content to feast upon Christ alone, whilst other souls are starving, and perhaps the souls of your dear natural relations. Say to them, as David, Psal. xxxiv. 8. ' O taste and see how good the Lord is."*
Fourthly, and lastly. See that your appetite to Christ he right, and truly spiritual. Such an hunger and thirst, upon which blessed- ness is entailed by promise. And you may conclude it so, when.
First., It is a sharp and strong appetite, Psal. xlii. 1. Let youF thoughts run upon Christ night and day ; even continually.
Secondly^ When it is an universal appetite, after every thing in Christ ; his holiness, as well as his righteousness ; his commands, as well as his promises ; for he is altogether lovely^ Cant. v. 16.
Thirdly^ When it is a continued appetite. I mean not, that the puhe of your desires should keep an even stroke at all times, but that there be real and sincere workings of heart after him always ; Psal, cxix. 20.
Fourthly, When it is an industrious appetite, awakening the soul to the use of all means, and practice of all duties, in order to satis- faction ; Psal. xxvii. 4. ' One thing have I desired of the Lord, and diat I will seek after.
Fifthly.) and lastly. It is then a right, when it is an insatiable appe- tite, never to be allayed with any thing beside Christ ; Psal. Ixxiii,
450 SACUAMENTAL MEDITATIONS.
25. no, nor with Christ himself, till thou comest to the full enjoy- ment of him in heaven. The believer knows, how sweet soever his communion with Christ is in this world, yet that communion he shall have with Christ in heaven, will far excel it : there it will be more intimate and immediate, 1 Cor. xii. 12. more full and perfect, even to satisfaction, Psal. xvii. 15. more constant and continued, not suf- fering such interruptions as it doth here. Rev. xxi. 25. more pure and unmixed ; here our corruptions work with our graces, Rom, vii. 21. but there grace shall work alone : in a word, more durable and perpetual ; we shall he ever Tvith the Lord, 1 Tbess. iv. 7. Long therefore to drink that Jiezo wine in the Father's l-ingdom. ' The Spirit and the bride say, Come ; and let him that heareth, say. Come. Even so, come Lord Jesus ; come quickly.'
]M E D I T A T I O N,
Set me as a seal upon thy hearty as a seal upon thine arm ;Jbr love is strong as death ; jealousy is cruel as the grave : the coals thereof are coals of fire ^ which hath a 7nost vehement fiame.
X HIS 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 un- folded 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 propor- tioned to our senses, with which our reason hath contracted an 'in- timacy and familiarity : and therefore God, to accommodate his truth to our capacity, doth, as it were, embody it in earthly expres- sions; according to that of the ancient Cabbalists, Lumen supre- mum nunquam descendit sine idumento ; heavenly truth never de- scendeth 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.
SACRAMENTAL MEDITATlOKS. 4ol
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 pro- tecting and preserving care and power. Tlielast naUirally 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 mean- ing, 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.