1. Magistracy.
2. Ministry.
Magistrates are nursing fixthers and nursing mothers to the church.
Ministers are watchmen by theii' place and standing.
Now, for shepherds to become wolves, for watchmen to become smiters, what a pitiful thing is it! But thus it is. The chm'ch hath been always persecuted with these men under pretence of religion, which is the shai-pest persecution of all in the chm-ch. It is a grievous thing to sufier of an enemy, but worse of a countryman, worse then that of a friend, and worst of all, of the church. Notwithstanding, by the way, v^e must know that the persecuted cause is not always the best, as Austin was forced to speak in his time against the Donatists (j). Sarah was a type of the true, and Hagar of the false, church. Now, Sarah, she corrected Hagar. Therefore, it follows not that the sufiering cause is alway the better. Therefore, we must judge of things in these kind of passages by the cause, and not by the outward carriage of things.
' They took away my veil.'
Quest. What shall ire do in such cases, if we suffer any indiynity, if the veil be taken off? That is, if our shame, infinnities, and weaknesses be laid open by false imputations.
Ans. In this case it is the ' innocency of the dove ' that is to be laboured for, and withal the wisdom of the sei-pent. Mat. x. 16. If innocency will not serve, labour for wisdom, as indeed it will not alone. The wicked would then labour for subtilty to disgrace righteous persons.
122 BOWELS OPENED. [SeKMON XII.
Obj. But what if that will not serve neither ? Christ was wisdom itself, yet he suffered most.
Ans. When innocency and wisdom will not do it (because we must be conformable to our head), then we must labour for patience, knowing that one hair of our heads shall not fall to the gi'ound without the providence of the Almighty.
Commend our case, as Christ did, by faith and prayer to God that judgeth.
' I charge you, 0 daughters of Jerusalem, if you see my beloved, that you tell him that I am sick of love,' &c.
Here the church, after her ill usage of the watchmen, is forced to the society of other Christians not so well acquainted with Christ as herself. ' I charge you, 0 daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved,' &c., ' tell him,' &c. \Vhat shall they tell him?
' Tell him I am sick of love.'
The church is restless in her desire and pursuit after Christ till she find him. No opposition, you see, can take off her endeavour.
1. Christ seems to leave her inwardly.
2. Then she goeth to the watchmen. They ' smite and wound ' her.
3. Then she hath recourse to the daughters of Jerusalem for help. Generally, before we come to the particulars, from the connection we may
observe this,
That love is a fire Mndled from heaven.
Nothing in the world will quench this grace, Cant. viii. 7. 8 ; no oppo- sition; nay, opposition rather whets and kindles endeavour.
The chm'ch was nothing discouraged by the ill usage of the watchmen, only she complains ; she is not insensible. A Chiistian may without sin be sensible of indignities ; only it must be the ' mourning of doves,' Isa. xxxviii. 14, and not the roaring of bears. It must not be mminuring and impatiency, but a humble complaining to God that he may take our case to heart, as the church doth here. But as sensible as she was, she was not a whit discouraged, but seeks after Chiist still in other means. If she find him not in one, she will try in another. We see here the nature of love. If it be in any measure perfect, it casteth out all fear of discoui'agements.
And, indeed, it is the nature of true grace to grow up with difficulties. As the ark rose higher with the waters, so likewise the soul grows higher and higher, it mounts up as discouragements and oppositions grow. Nay, the soul takes vigour and strength from discouragements, as the wind increaseth the flame. So the gi'ace of God, the more the winds and waves of affliction oppose it, with so much the more violence it breaks through all opposi- tions, until it attain the desu-ed hope.
To apply it : those therefore that are soon discouraged, that pull in their horns presently, it is a sign they are very cold, and have but httle grace. For where there is any strength of holy affection, they will not be dis- couraged, nor their zeal be quenched and damped. Therefore they subordinate religion to their own ends, as yom* temporary believers. Where is any love to Christ, the love of Christ is of a violent nature. It sways in the heai't, as the apostle speaks, ' The love of Christ constraineth us,' 2 Cor. v. 14.
If we find this unconquerable resolution in ourselves, notwithstanding aU discouragements to go on in a good cause, let us acknowledge that fire to be fi'om heaven ; let us not lose such an argument of the state of grace, as suffering of afflictions with joy. The more we suffer, the more we should rejoice, if the cause be good, as the apostles rejoiced ' that they were ac- counted worthy to suffer any thing,' Acts v. 41.