290 Of COMMUNION `IRJLth cob bleffmg his fons, lifted up his fpirit whenhe cones to Judea, in whom he confidered the Shilo to come, Gen. xlix. 8, g, and a little after, weari- ed with the fore-fight and conftderation of the diftreffes of his poftetity, this he diverts to for his relief, as that great delight of his foul, I have eeaitted for thy falvation, o God, for him who was to be the falvation of his people. But it would be endlefs to inflance in particulars, old Simeon, fonts up the whole, Chrift is God's - falvation, and Ifrael's glory, go, 3r. and whatever was called the glory of old, it was either him- fell, or a type ofhim. Theglory ofman is their delight. Hence Haggai ii. 7. he is called the defire of all nations, him whom their foul loves and de- lights in, defire, and long after. So is the faints delight in him made a defcription of him by way of eminence, Mal. iii. r. The Lord whom ye leek fballfuddenly come to his temple, even the Mefenger of the covenant whomye delight in. He whom ye feek, whom you delight in, is the de- fcription of Chrift, he is their delight and defireable one, the perfon of their defire. To fix on fomething in particular. In that pattern of communion with Jefus Chrift, which we have in the Canticles, this is abundantly- infifted on. The fpoufe tells us, that the fits down under his shadow with great delight, chap. 2. 3. And this delight to be vigorous and altive, the manifefts feveral ways, wherein we should la- bour to find our hearts in like manner towards him. s.) By her exceeding great care to keep his company and fociety, when once the had obtained it, chap. 2. 7. Icharge you, oye daughters ofHie- rufalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye flir not up, nor awake my beloved until he pleafe. Having obtained fweet communion with Chrift, defcribed in the verfes foregoing, ofwhich before, here the exprefs- eth her delight in it, and defier of the continuance of it, and therefore fol- lowing on the allufion formerly infifted on, the fpeaks as one would do to her companion, that had reif with one the loved, I charge you by all that is dear to you, by the things you molt delight in, which among the creatures are molt lovely, all the pleafant and defireable things that you can think of, that you diftearb, him not. The fum of her aim and defire is, that nothingmay fall out, nothing of fin or provocation happen that may occafion Chrift to depart from her, or to remove, from that dif penfation wherein he feemed to take that reft in her. 0 /lit him not up until hepleafe, that (a) is, never, n2n22o7, love its felf, in the abltcalt to exprefs aard.sgt, or camel affehion, for fo that word is often ufed. When once the foul of a believer bath obtained fweet and real communion with Chrift, it looks about him, watcheth all temptations, always whereby fin might approach, to difturb him in his enjoyment of his dear Lord and Saviour, his refs and defire. How doth it charge it fell not to omit any thing, not to do any thing, that may interrupt the communion obtained? And becaufe the common entrance of temptations, which tend to the dilturbance of that refs and complacency which Chrift takes in the foul, is from delightful diverfions from altual communion with bins, there- fore is delire liming and alive, that the companions of filcha foul, thole with whom at loth converfe, would not by their propofals or allurements, divert it into any fuch frame, as Chrift cannot delight nor reff in. A believer that bath gotten Chrift in his arms, is like one that bath found great fpoils, or a pearl of price. He looks about him every way, and feats every thing, that may deprive him of it. Riches make OÆreraiutem temporis ;ma feafom mylticum is fe inciudir, ut alias is fcriptura ¡ gsia sanquam talifomao, id vil, cosjunftione cum !poufs, excirari veti,, Afar, in loc, men
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