Obs. 3. We may observe the ingenuity \ of the church in laying open her own state. It is the disposition of God's people to be ingenuous in open- ing their state to God, as in David, Nehemiah, Ezra, &c.
The reason is thus : —
(1.) By a free and full confession we give God the honour of his wisdojn in knowing of our own condition, secret and open. We give him the honour of mercy that will not take advantage against us, the honour of power an--? * Qu. ' there, after ?'— Ed. f That is, ' ingenuousness.' — G.
Cant. V. 1.] *i sleep.' 39
authority over us, if he should shew his strength against us. We yield unto him the glory of all his chief prerogatives ; whereupon Joshua moveth Achan to a free confession, ' My son, give glory to God,' Joshua vii. 19.
(2.) We shame Satan, who first takes away shame of sinning, and then takes away shame for sin. He tempts us not to be ashamed to do that we are ashamed to confess, so we, by silence, keep Satan's counsel against our own souls. If we accuse ourselves, we put him out of office who is the ' accuser of the brethren,' Rev. xii. 10.
(3.) We 2}^'event, Ukeicise, malicious imputations frovi the u-orld. Austin answered roundly and well when he was upbraided with the sins of his for- mer age : ' What thou,' saith he, ' findest fault with, I have condemned in myself before.' Quce tu reprehendis, ego damnavi.
(4.) This ingenuous dealing easeth the soid, giving vent to the grief of it. Whiles the an-ow's head sticks in the wound, itwiU not heal. Sin uncon- fessed is like a broken piece of rusty iron in the body, ferrum in vidnere. It must be gotten out, else it will, by rankling and festering, cause more danger. It is like poison in the stomach, if it be not presently cast up it will infect the whole body. Is it not better to take shame to ourselves now, than to be shamed hereafter before angels, devils, and men ? How careful is God of us, by this private way to prevent futm-e shame !
(5.) This faithful dealing with ourselves is oft a means of preseiit delivery out of amj troidjh. David, in Ps. xxxii. 4, was in a great distemper both of body and spirit ; his moisture was turned into the drought of summer. It is thought he made this psalm between the time of his sin and his par- don. What com'se taketh he ? 'I said,' saith he, that is, ' I resolved to confess my sin, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin,' ver. 5. Upon a free and full, a faithful and ingenuous confession, without all guile of spirit, he found ease presently, both in soul and body. The cause of God's severe dealing with us is, that we should deal severely with om-selves. The best trial of religion in us is by those actions whereby we reflect on our- selves by judging and condemning of ourselves, for this argueth a spirit without guile. Sin and shifting* came into the world together. The sub- tilty of proud nature, especially in eminency, is such that sins may pass for virtues, because sin and Satan are alike in this, they cannot endure to appear in their own colour and habit, and so those that oppose it shall be accounted opposers of good. This guile of spirit hath no blessedness be- longing to it. Take heed of it.
Ohs. 4. Mark, further, one sign of a gracious soul, to be abased for lesser defects, sleepiness, and indisposition to f/ood. One would think di'owsiness were no such great matter. Oh, but the church had such sweet acquaint- ance with Christ, that exerj little indisposition that hindered any degree of communion was grievous to her ! You shall have a Judas, a Saul, an enormous offender confess great falls that gripe his conscience. All shall be cast up, that the conscience, being disburdened, may feel a httle ease ; but how few have you humbled for dulness of spirit, want of love, of zeal, and cheerfulness in duty ? This, accompanied with strife against it, argues a good spirit indeed.
A carnal man is not more humbled for gross sins than a gracious Chris- tian for wants in good actions, when it is not with him as it hath been, and as he would. The reason is, where there is a clear and heavenly light, there lesser motes are discernible ; and spiritual life is sensible of any ob- struction and hindrance. This goeth in the world for unnecessar}^ nicety (c). * That is, ' evasions, expedients.' — G.
40 BOWELS OPENED. [SeRMON III.
The world straineth not at these gnats. But those upon whose hearts the sun of righteousness hath shined have both a clear sight and a tender heart.
To come to the words, * I sleep.' The church fetcheth a comparison from the body to express the state of the soul. It is one use of our body to help us in spiritual expressions. Whilst the soul dwelleth in the body, it dependeth much in the conceiving of things upon the phantasy,* and the phantasy upon the senses. We come to conceive of spiritual sleep by sleep of the body, which we are all well enough acquainted with.