86 BOWELS OPENED. [SeKMON VII.
I rest in myself? Is there any harbour for me to rest in mine own righteousness ? Oh, no ; it drives a man out of all harbour. Nay, I will rest in that righteousness which God hath wrought by Chi-ist, who is God- man. That will endure the sight of God, being clothed with which, I can endure the presence of God. So, this sight of our own unworthiness and wants should not be a ground of discouragement, but a ground to drive us perfectly out of ourselves, that by faith we might renew our title to that righteousness, wherein is our especial glory. Why should we not judge of ourselves as Christ doth ? Can we see more in ourselves than he doth ? Yet, notwithstanding all he sees, he accounts us as undefiled.
Use 7. Again, since he accounts us undefiled, because he means to make us so, and now looks on us as we shall be, in all our foils* and infirmities, let us comfort ourselves, it shall not tints be always with us. Oh, this flesh of mine shall fall and fall still, and shall decay as Saul's house, and the Spirit at the last shall conquer in all this ! I am not chosen to this begin- ning, to this conflicting course of life. I am chosen to triumph, to perfec- tion of grace : this is my comfort. Thus we should comfort ourselves, and set upon our enemies and conflict in this hope of victory : ' I shall get the better of myself at the last.' Imperfection should not discourage, but comfort us in this world. We are chosen to perfection. Let us still rejoice, in that ' we are chosen to sanctification,' which is a little begun, being an earnest of other blessings. Let us not rest in the pledge or in the earnest, but labour for a further pledge of more strength and grace. For those that have the Spirit of Christ, will strive to be as much unspotted and as heavenly as they can, to fit themselves for that heavenly condition as much as may be. When, because they cannot be in heaven, yet they will converse there as much as they can ; and because they cannot be with such company altogether, they will be as much as they may be ; labouring as they are able to be that which they shall be hereafter. Imperfection contents them not, and therefore they pray still in the Lord's prayer, ' Thy kingdom come,' Mat. vi. 10. While there is any imperfection, their hearts are enlarged more and more ; nothing contents them but perfection. And indeed God accounts us thus unspotted for this end, because he would encoui'age us. Where he sees the will and endeavour, he gives the title of the thing desired.
I have put off mxj coat ; how shall I jjitf it on ? I have washed my feet ; how shall I defile them ? Verse 3.
Here is an ingenious f confession made by the church of her own unto- wardness. Notwithstanding all Christ's heavenly rhetoric and persuasion that he did use, yet she draws back, and seems to have reason so to do. ' I have put ofl" my coat ; how shaU I put it on again ' to let thee in ? 'I have washed my feet, &c. It is a phrase taken from the custom of those hot countries, wherein they used to wash their feet. ' I have washed my feet ; how shall I defile them ' to rise and open the door to thee ? There is a spiritual meaning herein, as if she had said, I have some ease by this sleepy profession, some freedom fi'om evil tongues, and some exemption and immunity from some troubles I was in before. I was then, perhaps, too indiscreet. Now wilt thou call me again to those troubles, that I have wisely avoided ? No ; ' I have put ofi' my coat ; how shall I put it on ? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them ? ' I afiect I this estate very well ; I am content to be as I am, without troubling of myself. Thus the church puts ofl" Christ. This I take to be the mean- ing of the words. That which is observable is this : that it is not an easy
* That is, ' falls.'— G. f That is, ' ingenuous.'— G. J That is, ' like.'— G.
Cant. V. 3.] * i have put off my coat.' 87
matter to bniir/ the soul and Christ tor/ether into iiear fellowship. "We see here how the church draws back ; for the flesh moves either not to yield at all to duty, or to be cold, uncertain, and unsettled therein. The flesh knows that a near communion with Christ cannot stand with favouring any corruption, and therefore the flesh will do something, but not enough. It will yield to something, but not to that that it should do, to that communion and fellowship that we ought to have with Christ. To instance in some particulars, as a rule and measure to somewhat of which we should be.
Ohs. 1. A Christian life should he nothinrj hut a communion and intercourse with Christ, a walking in the Spirit ; and to be spiritual, and to fixvour the things of the Spirit altogether, he should study to adorn his profession by a lively and cheerful performance of duty. Mat. v. 16, and be exemplary to others ; and should be in such a frame as he should ' walk continually in the comforts of the Holy Ghost ' undismayed and undaunted, * and abound in the fruits of the Spirit,' Acts ix. 20,' and do all the good he can wheresoever he comes. He should ' keep himself unspotted of the world,' James i. 27, go against the stream, and be continually in such a temper, as it should be the joy of his heart to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, 2 Tim. iv. 6. One might go on thus in a world of particulars, which would be too long. If we could attain to this excellency, it were an happy life, a heaven upon earth. This we should aim at. Will the flesh endure this, think you ? No, it will not ; which you shall see more particularly in this next observation, which is,