Cant. V. G.] 'my beloved had withdeawn himself.' lOB
wrath of God for ns, which burden he could never have undergone, but had sunk under it, but for the hypostatical union.
Use 1. Let us not, therefore, censure any Christian, xrhen ive find that their course hath been good and gracious, yet notwithstanding thcij seem to want comfort. Let us not wonder at them, as if God had utterl_y forsaken them. Indeed, sometimes they think themselves forsaken, and the world thinks them so too, ' that God regards them not,' Ps. Ixvi. 18. They are people of no respect either to God or to others, as you have the church in the Psalms complaining, as if God had forsaken them,' Ps. xliv. 9 ; so they think themselves forsaken, and the world thinks them so too, and neglects them. Therefore, in so doing, we shall censure the generation of the right- eous. It was thus with the Head of the church, with the whole church, and with every particular member. Neither is it fit we should always en- joy the sense of God's love. Christ by heavenly wisdom dispenseth of his sweetness, comforts, and peace, as may stand with our souls' best good, and we should as much take heed of censuring ourselves in tliat condition, as if we were rejected and cast away of God. We must judge ourselves at such times by faith, and not by feeling ; looking to the promises and word of God, and not to our present sense and apprehension.
Use 2. Again, if this be so, learn to j^i't'jntre and look for it beforehand, and to get some grounds of comfort, some promises out of the word, and to keep a good conscience. 0 it is a heavy thing, when God shall seem to be angry ^vith us, and our conscience at the same time shall accuse us ; when the de%'il shall lay sins hard to our charge, and some affliction at the same time lie heavy upon the sore and guilty soul. If we have not somewhat laid up beforehand, what will become of the poor soul, when heaven, and eai'th, and hell, and all shall seem to be against it. There are few that come to heaven, but they know what these things mean. It is good, therefore, to look for them, and to prepare some comforts beforehand.
But what here should be the inward moving cause ? It is in the church herself; for mark the coherence. She had turned off Christ with excuses, pretences, and dilatory answers ; and now presently upon it Christ for- sakes her in regard of her feeling, and of the sweet comfort she formerly enjoyed. The point is,
Obs. 2. That the cause rests in ourselves why Christ withdraws comfort from our souls.
If we search our own hearts we shall find it so, and usually the causes in ourselves are these, as it was in the church here : 1. WJten we are unkitid to Christ, and repel the sweet motions of the Spirit. 2. When ice improve not the precious means of salvation that we enjoy. 3. When tee are careless of our conversation and comjmny. 4. When we linger after carnal liberties and ease. 5. When we yield to carnal policy and shifts to keep ns oft' from the power of religion, to go on in a lukewarm course. 6. When ire linger after earthly things and con forts, and wrap ourselves up in fleshly policy for ease. 7. When we trevible not at God's judgments and threatenings, and at the signs of them ; with many such things. Where these dispositions are, we need not wonder if we find not the comforts of Christ and of the Holy Ghost in us, with the gracious presence of his Spirit. The cause is in our- selves. But security hath been at large spoken of before, where the church's sleep was handled.* Therefore, the point shall not bo here enlarged, but only some use made of it, as may serve for the present purpose.
Use 1. If Christ should take away the comforts that we enjoy, and * See pp. 35—44, et seq. — G.
104 BOWELS OPENED. [SeEMON IX.
remove himself and his dweUing from us, for he is now yet among us and knocks at our doors, do tve not cjive him jiist cause to depart ? What a spirit of slumber possesseth us, which will be awaked with nothing to seek after Christ ! How few lay hold upon God, press upon him, wrestle with him by prayer, to hide themselves before the evil day come, as they should do ! Therefore, if Christ have absented himself a long time from the church in general, and withdrawn the comfort and presence of his ordinances ; and, in particular, withheld the sweet comforts of our spirits and our peace, so that we see him in the contrary signs of his displeasure and anger, as if he did not regard and respect us, we have given him just cause so to do. We see here how the church used Christ ; and so do we, with the like secu- rity, and a spirit of slumber, with unkindness. Notwithstanding all the pro- vocations that Christ useth to win us, he leaves us not, until he be left first, for he desires to have nearer acquaintance, communion, and fellowship vrith the soul, as we have seen in the former verse, ' My love, n^y dove, my undefiled, open to me,' &c. Therefore, if we do not enjoy more acquaint- ance with Christ than we do, and walk more in the comforts of the Holy Ghost, it is merely from our own indisposition and security. Acts ix. 31. Therefore, let us censm-e ourselves in this kind, and not call Christ an enemy, as if he had forgotten, and God had forsaken. Take heed of such a spirit of murmuring. If such a state befall us, let us labour to lay our hand upon om* mouth and to justify Christ. It is just with thee thus to leave me, to give me over to this terror, to deal thus with me, that have dealt so unkindly with thee. So to justify God, and accuse ourselves, is the best way to recover spiritual comfort.