Ohs. 3. Well, for the third point. That howsoever Christ he provoked by the church's ingratitude, droivsiness, and careless carriarie, to leave her in re- gard of herfeelinri, and of inirard comfart ; yet notwithstanding he is so gracious, as to leave something behind him, that shervs indeed, that he had not left the church altogether, hut only in some regard. For howsoever Christ, in regard of some order of his providence, leave it, yet in regard of another order of his pro^adence, care and mercy, he doth not leave it, so as one way which he takes must sometimes give place to another way of his work- ing in ordering things. Sometimes he is present in a way of comfort, that is one order of his dispensation ; . and when he sees that that is neglected, then he withdraws his comforts and hides his gracious countenance. Yet he is then present still in another order and wa}', though we discern it not, that is, in a way of humbling the soul, letting it see its sin. So here, howsoever Christ had withdrawn himself in regard of this manner of his dealing, in respect of comfort, that the church did not now see his grace, favour ; yet he left behind him a spirit of grace, to afi'ect her heart with grief, sorrow, and shame, and to stir up her endeavours to seek after him, as it is said here : ' I rose to open to my beloved ; and my hands dropped myrrh, and my fingers sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the locks.'
Here observe these three things, which shall be briefly named, because they shall be touched elsewhere.
Ohs. 1. Christ's grace is the cause of our grace. He first leaves myrrh, and then her fingers drop myrrh. Our oil is from his oil. The head being anointed, 'the oil ran down to the skirts of Aaron's garments,' Ps. cxxxiii. 2, xxxvi. 9 ; ' Out of his fulness we receive grace for gi'ace,' John i. 16, that is, our grace is answerable to the grace of Christ. We have all from him, favour for his favour. Because he is beloved, we are beloved. We
CaXT. V. 6.] ' MY BELOVED HAD WITHDEAWN HIMSELF.' 105
have tne grace of sanctification from him. He was sanctified with th^ Spirit, therefore we are sanctified. We have grace of privilege for his grace. He is the Son of God, therefore we are sons. He is the heir of, heaven, therefore we are heirs. So that of his grace it is we receive all. Whether we take grace for favour, or for the grace of sanctification, or the grace of privilege and prerogative, all our graces are from his, ' our myrrh from his mjTrh.'
Use. This should teach lis, the necessity of dependence xipon Christ, for whatsoever we have or would have ; which dependence upon Christ is the life of our hfe, the soul of our souls.
Again, observe from hence, that the church's fingers di'opped myn-h when she opened the door, and stiiTed up herself to endeavour. When first her bowels were moved, then she makes to the door, and then her hands dropped myrrh, so that,
Obs, 2. We find experience of the grace of Christ, especially when we stir vp ourselves to endeavour, ' Ai'ise and be doing, and the Lord shall be with thee,' 1 Chron. xxviii. 20, saith David to Solomon, So let us rouse up ourselves to endeavour-, and we shall find a gi-acious presence of Christ, and a blessed assistance of the Spirit of Christ, who will shew himself in the midst of endeavom'S. ' To him that hath shall be given :' what is that ? To him that hath, if he exercise and stir up the grace of God in him, shall be given. Mat. xxv. 29. Therefore, let us stir up the graces of God in us ; let us fall upon actions of obedience, second them with prayer. Whatsoever we pray for and desire, set upon the practice thereof. We mock God else, except we endeavour for that we deshe. There was mjTi'h left on the door, but she feels it not till she arose, opened the door, and laid her hand upon the lock.
I speak to any Christian's experience, if in the midst of obedience they do not find that comfort they looked for, and that it is meat and drink to do God's will. Therefore keep not oft' and say, I am dead and drowsy, there- fore I shall be still so. You are deceived ; fall upon obedience and practis- ing of holy duties, and in the midst thereof thou shalt find the presence and assistance of God's Spirit. That will comfort thee.
Obs. 3. The third thing observable from hence is this, that God's yraces are sweet. Pleasant and sweet, compared here to myn-h, which was an ingredient in the holy oil. Grace makes us sweet. Prayers are sweet, as it is in Rev. \iii. 4. Christ mingleth them with his own sweet odours, and so takes and ofiers them to God. Holy obedience is sweet and delightful to God and to the conscience. It brings peace and dehght to others. There- fore they are called fruits. Fruit doth not only imply and shew the issu- ing of good things from the root, but there is also a pleasantness in it. So there is a delightfulness in good works, as there is in fruit to the taste. Therefore if we would be sweet and delightful to God, let us labour to have grace. If we would think of ourselves with contentment, and have inward sweetness, let us labour for the gi-aces of God's Spkit. These are like myrrh. ' The ■niicked ai-e an abomination unto the Lord,' Prov. xv. 8, who abhors them, and whatsoever is in them. But ' the righteous and sincere man is his dehght,' Prov. xv. 8. Therefore, if we would approve ourselves to God, and feel that he hath dehght in us, labour to be such as he may delight in.