' I have gathered my myrrh with my spice ; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey,' &c.
That is, I have taken contentment in thy graces, together with accepta- tion. There is a delight, and God not only accepts, but he delights in the graces of his children. * All my delight,' saith David, ' is in those that are excellent,' Ps. xvi. 3. But this is not all, Christ comes with an enlarge- ment of what he finds.
Christ comes, and comes not empty whensoever he comes, but with abund-
Cant. V. 1.] * i have eaten my honeycomb.' 29
ance of grace. K St Paul, who was but Christ's instrument, could tell the Romans, * I hope to come to you in abundance of grace and comfort,' Rom. XV. 29, because he was a blessed instrument to convey good from Christ to the people of God, as a conduit-pipe, how much more shall Christ himself, where he is present, come with gi-aces and comfort ! Those that have communion with Christ, therefore, have a comfortable communion, being sure to have it enlarged, for ' to him that hath shall be given,' Mat. xxv. 29. It is not only true of his last coming, when he shall come to judge the quick and the dead, ' I come, and my reward is with me,' Rev. xxii. 12, but also of all his intermediate comings that are between. When he comes to the soul, he comes not only to accept what is there, but still with his reward with him, the increase of grace, to recompense all that is good with the in- crease thereof. This made his presence so desired in the gospel with those that had gracious hearts. They knew all was the better for Christ, the company the better, for he never left any house or table where he was, but there was an increase of comfort, and of gi'ace. And as it was in his per- sonal, so it is in his spiritual presence. He never comes, but he increases grace and comfort.
Therefore, let us be stirred up to have communion with Christ, by this motive, that thus we shall have an increase of a further measure of grace. Let us labour to be such as Christ may delight in, for our graces are honey and spices to him, and where he tastes sweetness he will bring more with him. To him that overcometh he promiseth ' the hidden manna,' Rev. ii. 17. They had manna before, but he means they shall have more abimd- ant communion with me, who am ' the hidden manna.' There is abund- ance in him to be had, as the soul is capable of abundance. Therefore we may most fruitfully and comfortably be conversant in holy exercises and communion with Christ, because our souls are fit to be enlarged more and more, till they have their fulness in heaven ; and still there is more grace and comfort to be had in Christ, the more we have to deal ■oith him.
But to come to shew what is meant by honey and wine, &c. Not to take uncertain grounds from these words, but that which may be a founda- tion for us to build comfort and instruction on, we ■will not shew in parti- cular what is meant by wine and honey (for that is not intended by the Holy Ghost), but shew in general how acceptable the graces of the Spirit of Christ are to him, that they feed him and delight him, as wine and honey do us, because in the covenant of grace he filleth us by his Spirit of grace, to have comfort in us as we have in him. For, except there be a mutual joy in one another, there is not communion. Therefore Christ furnisheth his church with so much grace as is necessary for a state of absence here, that may fit her for communion with him for ever in heaven. As Isaac sent Rebecca, before the marriage, jewels and ornaments to wear. Gen. xxiv. 22, that she might be more lovely when they met, so our blessed Saviour, he sends to his spouse from heaven jewels and ornaments, that is, graces, wherewith adorned, he may delight in her more and more till the marriage be fulfilled. Therefore in this book the church is brought in, delighting in Christ, and he in the church. ' Thy love,' saith the church to him, ' is sweeter than wine,' Cant. i. 2. Chiist saith to the church again, ' Thy love is sweeter than wine.' Whatsoever Christ saith to the church, the church saith back again to Christ, and he back again to the church. So there is a mutual contentment and joy one in another. * Eat, 0 friends, drink,' &c.
Here is an invitation. When he comes stored with more grace and
80 BOWELS OPENED. [SeEMON II.
comfort, he stirs them up; both the church, others, and all that hear good- will to his people, that thej would delight in the gi'aces and comforts of his church. "Whence observe, that
Obs. Weoxujht to rejoice in the comforts and graces of others, and of ourselves.
He stirreth up the church here, as well as others ; for he speaks to all, both to the church and the friends of it. He had need to stir her up to enjoy the comfoi't of her own grace ; for they are two distinct benefits, to have grace, and to know that we have it, though one Spirit work both, 1 Cor. ii. 12. The Spirit works grace, and shews us the things that God hath given us, yet sometimes it doth the one, and not the other. In the time of desertion and of temptation, we have grace, but we know it not ; right to comfort, but we feel it not. There is no comfort of a secret, un- known treasure ; but so it is with the church, she doth not always take notice of her own graces, and the right she hath to comfort.