ObJ. But you will say, How doth this appear, when in some desertion a Christian finds no gi'ace, strength, or comfort at all, that nothing is left?
Ans. It is answered, theij always do. Take those who at any time have had experience of the love of God, and of Christ formerly, take them at the worst, you shall find from them some sparkles of grace, broken speeches of tried secret comfort, some inward strength and struggling against corrup- tions ; their spirits endeavouring to recover themselves from sinking too low, and with something withstanding both despair and corruption. Take a Christian at the worst, there will be a discovery of the Spirit of Christ left in him, notwithstanding all desertion. This is universally in all in some measure, though perhaps it is not discerned to a Christian himself, but to those that are able to judge. Sometimes others can read our evi- dences better than ourselves. A Christian that is in temptation cannot judge of his own estate, but others can. And so, at the very worst, he hath always somewhat left in him, whereby he may be comforted. Christ never leaves his church and children that ai'e his wholly. Those that are wholly left, they never had saving grace, as Ahithophel, Cain, Saul, and Judas were left to themselves. But for the children of God, if ever they found the power of sanctifying grace, ' Christ whom he loves, he loves to the end,' John xiii. 1, from whom he departs not, unless he leaves some- what behind him, that sets an edge upon the desires to seek after him.
Use 2. Make this second use of it, to inagnifu the gracious love and mercy of Chrlat, that when we deserve the contrary, to be left altogether, yet notwithstanding so gi'aciously he deals with us. Behold, in this his deal- ing, the mercy of Christ. He will not sufi'er the church to be in a state of security, but will rather, to cure her, bring her to another opposite state of gi'icf and sorrow, as we shall see in the next point, how that which Christ left in the heart of the church so afflicted her ' that her bowels were turned in her.' Whereupon she riseth, seeks, and inquires after Christ by the watchmen and others. So she saith of herself,
' My bowels were moved in me,' &c. What was that? My heart was afiected full of sorrow and grief for my unkind dealing with Christ. Hereby those afiections were stirred up, that were afore sleepy and secure, to godly grief, sorrow, and shame. Ftv God hath planted afiections in us, and joined them with conscience, as the executioners with the judge. So that, whenas conscience accuseth of any sin, either of omission or com- mission, afiections are ready to be the executioners within us. Thus to
108 BOWELS OPENED. [SeRMON K
prevent eternal damnation, God hath set up a throne in our own hearts, to take revenge and correction by our own affections, godly sorrow and mourn- ing, as here the church saith, ' My bowels were turned in me.' It was a shame and grief, springing out of love to Christ, that had been so kind, patient, and full of forbearance to her. ' My bowels were turned in me ;' that is, sorrow and grief were upon me for my unkind dealing.
The observation from hence is.
That security and a cold, dull state produceth a contrary temper. That is, those that ai-e cold, dull, secure, and put off Christ, he suffers them to fall into sharp sorrows and griefs.
We usually say, Cold diseases must have hot and sharp remedies. It is most true spiritually. Security, which is a kind of lethargy, a cold disease, forgetting of God and our duty to him, must have a hot and sharp cure. And the letharg}' is best cured by a burning ague. So Christ deals here. He puts his finger in at the hole of the door, and leaves grace behind to work upon the bowels of the church, to make her grieve and be ashamed for her unkind dealing. Thus he cures security by sori'ow. This is the best conclusion of sin.
And we may observe withal, that even sins of omission, they bring grief, shame, and sorrow. And in the issue, through Christ's sanctifying them, these which they breed consume the parent. That is, sin brings forth sorrow, shame, and grief, which are a means to cure sin. Security breeds this moving of the bowels, which moving helps security. Would we there- fore prevent sorrow, shame, and grief? Take heed then of security, the cause that leads to them ; yea, of sins of omission, wherein there is more danger than in sins of commission. The sins of carnal, wicked men are usually sins of commission ; most which break out outrageously, and thereby tamt themselves with open sins. But the sins of God's people, who are nearer to him, are for the most part sins of omission ; that is, negligence, coldness, carelessness in duty, want of zeal, and of care they should have in stirring up the graces of God in them ; as the church here, which did not give way to Christ, nor shook off security.
Use. Let us esteem as slightly as we will of sins of omission and care- lessness, they are enough to bring men to hell if God be not the more merciful. It is not required only that we do no harm, and keep ourselves from out- ward evils ; but we must do good in a good manner, and have a care to be fruitful and watchful, which if we do not, this temper will bring grief, shame, and sorrow afterwards. As here, even for sins of omission, dead- ness, and dulness, we see the church is left by Christ, ' and her bowels are turned in her.' For careless neglect and omission of duty to God is a presage and forerunner of some downfal and dejection. And commonly it is true, when a man is in a secure and careless state, a man may read his destiny (though he have been never so good) ; nay, the rather if he be good. Such a one is in danger to fall into some sharp punishment, or into some sin ; for of all states and tempers, God will not suffer a Christian to be in a secure, lazy, dead state, when he cannot perfonn things comfort- ably to God, or himself, or to others. A dead, secm-e estate is so hateftil to him (decay in our fu'st love, this lukewarm temper) that he will not en- dure it. It either goes before some great sin, cross, affliction, or judgment. ' My bowels were moved in me.' And good reason. It was a suitable correction to the sin wherein she offended. For Christ, his bowels were turned towards her in love and pity, ' My love, my dove, my undefiled,' in which case, she neglecting him, it was fit she should find ' moring of