Doct. 1. For the first, as after the contract there is a more manifestation of love than was before, yet not a full manifestation of love tiU after the marriage, so Christ, though he do give his spouse a taste of his love here, and sends love-tokens unto her, some graces whereby his love is made more manifest than before (as Isaac sent to Rebekah some jewels and bracelets to manifest his love to her, Gen. xxiv. 53) ; yet his love is not fully mani- fested in this life, but is kept until the great solemnity. Christ cannot deUght in the spouse unless she be decked with his graces, and therefore he gives her of them ; and these are not only a taste of his favours, but the fruit of his favours.
The reasons are diverse.
Reason 1. The first reason is to solace their long absence, that they may not faint, but having a sweet taste of his love here, may stay their hearts
204 THE SPOUSE.
thereupon until the day wherein he will fully manifest his love unto them. The Lord seeth his children are subject to be oppressed with heaviness here ; therefore he gives them a taste of his love here, that thereby they might be comforted, when nothing else can.
Reason 2. The Lord gives his children a sweet taste of his love here, that tcheri they hy iceakness and frailty fall aicay and lose their first love, tvhen by their former taste the}/ might return and recover themselves again, con- sidering how sweet, and how strong that love was, that once they had en- joyed from Christ, and hereby they might say with the church, ' I will return,' &c., Hos. ii. 7.
Reason 3. The third reason is, because the manifestation of this his love doth wonderfuUy strengthen a Christian to go lightly through the heaviest affiic- tion; for when Christ assures a Christian of his love, then affliction will seem grievous, but he will through all, he will suiier whatsoever shall befaU him for Christ's sake with joy.
Reason 4. Lastly, Christ gives his church, and so every Christian, a taste of his love in this life, because he hioivs ice have many temptations in this world which are ready to steal aivay our affections, as carnal pleasures, riches, honours, and the like. Now that these might not draw away our atfections, he gives us a taste of his love, which is better than all other things, ' which is sweeter than wine,' that by this our affections might be preserved chaste to him. So then Christ gives us, his spouse, a sweet taste of his love in this hfe, that afflictions on our left hand might not too much press us down and discomfort us ; nor the pleasures and delights on our right hand steal away our hearts from him.
Use, The use is to teach us to admire"^ at the goodness of God in this, that he is pleased so to provide for us, as to keep us from being too much overcome with heaviness through the multitude of temptations and afflictions which in this life we are subject unto ; expelling the bitterness thereof with the sweetness of his love, thereby preserving our affections chaste unto him- self.
Now we come to the second doctrine.
Doct. 2. That the church (and so every Christian) after this contract and taste of Christ's love, hath evermore springing up in them an insatiable desire for a further taste and assurance of his love.
The reasons of this doctrine are two.
Reason 1. The first reason is taken from the nature of true love, which is never satisfied. And hence it is, that though Christ give his spouse a taste of his love in his word, by sending his ambassadors, his ministers with his love-letters, the gospel of peace, giving therein a taste of his love, as also by his Spirit, by his sacraments, by his graces ; yet all this will not satisfy her soul, but Christ having once manifested his love unto her, there is a con- tinual desire to have a further taste and assurance of it.
Reason 2. The second reason is drawn from Christ's infinite riches, in- finite in his glory, in his power, in his beauty, in his pleasures, and joys, and the like. He hath all things, * All power is given him in heaven and in earth,' Mat. xxviii. 18 ; every way infinite in himself; and hence it is, that the spouse hath an infinite desii'e to have a further taste of his love, and a nearer communion with him. So you see whether we regard the nature of love, which is never satisfied, or whether we consider his infinite riches, both manifest this truth, that there is an insatiable desire in a Chris- tiaoi, to be further filled with, and more fuUy assured of, the love of Christ. * That is, ' wonder,' — G.
THE SPOUSE. 205
Where grace is, there is a further desire of growth in grace. It is an higher degree of love to desire the enjoying of the presence of Christ, than to enjoy heaven itself ; but this will not be yet.
Use 1. Therefore let us try our love kj our labouring for that sight of Christ xihich ue may have ; as in his ordinances where he manifests himself in a special manner. Is it the great grief of thy soul that thou art shut from the presence of Christ in his ordinances, from the congregation of the saints, where he by familiar kisses useth to manifest his love to thee more and more ? I can but wonder that some persons dare to take upon them the name of Chiistianity, and yet think that men be too holy. These want this cha- racter of a Christian, viz., a further desire of the manifestation of Christ's love. Many of them neglect the ordinances of God, or if they do come there, they desire not further inward kisses of his love, but content them- selves with the outward.