The answer is, first, Christ speaks to the spouse here, and so, many such exhortations are given to them that have the Spirit of God already, who could by the help thereof open. For good and gracious men are moved first by the Spirit, and then they move ; they are jnoti moventes, and acti arjentes. They are acted fii'st by the Spirit, and then they do act by it, not of themselves ; as the inferior orbs move not, but as they are moved by the superior. The question is not of them in the state of grace, but at their first conversion, when especially we say that Christ speaks to them that he means to convert. He knocks at their hearts, and opens together with his speech. Then there goes a power that they shall open ; for his words are operative words. As it was in the creation, ' Let there be light,' it was an operative word, ' and there was light,' Gen. i. 3. Let there be such a creature, it was an operative working word, and there was such a creature presently. So he opens together with that word. With that invitation and command there goes an almighty power to enable the soul to open. Were it not a wise reason to say, when Christ called to Lazarus to * come forth,' John xi. 43, that we should reason he had life to yield to Christ, when he bade him come forth? No, he was rotten, in his grave, almost ; but with Christ's speaking to Lazarus, there went an almighty power, that gave life to him, by which life he heard what Christ said, ' Ai-ise, Lazarus.' So Christ by his Spirit clothes his word in the ministry, when he speaks to people with a mighty power. As the minister speaks to the ear, Christ speaks, opens, and unlocks the heart at the same time ; and gives it power to open, not from itself, but from Christ. Paul speaks to Lydia's ear, Christ to her heart, and opened it, as the text says, Acts xvi. 13, whereby she believes ; * so Christ opens the heart.
Quest. But why doth he thus work ?
Ans. Because he will preserve nature, and the principles thereof; and so he deals with us, working accordingly. The manner of working of the reasonable creatui'e, is to work freely by a sweet incKnation, not by -^dolence. Therefore when he works the work of conversion, he doth it in a sweet manner, though it be mighty for the efficaciousness of it. He admonisheth us with entreaty and persuasion, as if we did it ourselves. But though the manner be thus sweet, yet with this manner there goeth an almighty power. Therefore he doth it strongly as coming from himself, and sweetly, as the speaking is to us, preserving our nature. So the action is from him, which hath an almighty power with it. As holy Bernard saith, ' Thou dealest sweetly with my soul in regard of myself; ' that is, thou workest upon me, as a man with the words of love, yet strongly in regard of thyself. For except he add strength with sweetness, the work will not follow ; but when there are both, an almighty work is wrought in the soul of a Christian; and so ^vrought, as the manner of man's working is preserved in a sweet and frae manner, whilst he is changed from contrary to contrary. And it is also with the greatest reason that can be, in that now he sees more reason to be good, than in the days of darkness he did to be naught, God works
* ' Lydia's Heart Opened,* is the title of one of Sibbes's most delightful minor books. — G
64 BOWELS OPENED. [SeEMON V.
SO sweetly. God speaks to us after the manner of men, but he works in us as the great God. He speaks to us as a man in our own language, sweetly ; but he works in us almightily, after a powerful manner, as God. So we must understand such phrases as these, 'I knock; open to me, my love, my dove,' &c. We may take further notice,
Obs. That the heart of a Christian is the house and temple of Christ.
He hath but two houses to dwell in ; the heavens, and the heart of an humble broken-hearted sinner, Isa. hdi. 15.
Quest. How can Christ come into the soul ?
Ans. He comes into the heart by his Spirit. It is a special entertain- ment that he looks for. Open thine ears that thou mayest hear my word ; thy love, that thou mayest love me more; thy joy, that thou mayest delight in me more ; open thy whole soul that I may dwell in it. A Christian should be God's house, and a true Christian is the true temple of God. He left the other two temples therefore ; but his own body, and his church he never leaves. For a house is for a man to solace himself in, and to rest in, and to lay up whatsoever is precious to him. So with Christ. A man will re- pair his house, so Christ A\dll repair our souls, and make them better, and make them more holy, and spiritual, and every way fit for such a guest as he is.