Cant. V. 13.] * ms mouth is most sweet.' 155
' Will ye also leave me ? ' Peter answered again, ' Whither, Lord, shall we go ? Thou hast the words of eternal life,' John vi. 68. The apostles, that had the Spirit of God, perceived an incredible graciousness to sit on his lips, and therefore they hung upon his lips. ' Whither shall we go ? Thou hast the words of eternal life.' If we leave his speech, we leave our comfort, we leave our hfe.
As a comment hereupon, see Ps. xix., where we have a high commenda- tion of God's excellency ; first, from the book of nature, the works of God : ' the heavens declare the glory of God ;' then from the word of God ; and herein the psalmist is wondrous large. ' The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul ; the testimonies of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple ; the statutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart ; the com- mandments of the Lord are sure, and enlighten the eyes; more to be desired than gold, yea, than fine gold ; sweeter also than the honey or the honeycomb.'
But mark the order. When is the word of God precious as gold, sweeter than the honey or the honeycomb, but when the former commenda- tion takes place ? Where the word is perfect, converting the soul, and where it is sure, making wise the simple, and where the fear of the Lord is clean, &c., there it is more to be desired than fine gold, and sweeter than the honeycomb. So the church here finding, first of all, the word to be a converting word, and giving understanding to the simple, she cannot but speak of the sweetness of the word of Christ. His hps are as lilies drop- ping sweet-smelHng myrrh. His mouth is most sweet. Thus a man may know his estate in grace by his relish of the word.
There is a divine and a heavenly relish in the word of God ; as, for instance, take the doctrine of his providence, ' that all things shall work together for the best to them that love God,' Rom. viii. 28. What a sweet word is this ! A whole kingdom is not worth this promise, that whatso- ever befalls a Christian in this world, there is an overruling providence to sway all to good, to help forward his eternal good.
That Christ will be present with us in all conditions, what a sweet word and promise is this ! Mat. xxviii. 20 ; ' that he will give his Holy Spirit, if we beg it,' Luke xi. 13 ; ' that he will not fail us nor forsake us,' Heb. xiii. 5 ; that ' if we confess our sins, and lay them open, he is merciful to forgive them,' 1 John i. 9 ; that ' if our sins were as red as scarlet, they shall all be white as wool,' Isa. i. 18. What kind of incredible sweetness is in these to a heart that is prepared for these comforts ! The doctrine of reconciUation, of adoption, of glory to come, of the offices of Christ and such like, how sweet are they ! They relish wondrously to a sanctified soul.
Let us therefore discern of our estate in grace by this, how do we relish divine truths ? Are they connatural and suitable to us ? Do we love them more than our appointed food ? Are they dearer unto us than thou- sands of gold and silver ? Do we like them above all other truths whatso- ever? Ps. cxix. 72, 127. Every truth in its rank is lovely, and is a beam of God. For truth is of God wheresoever we find it. But what are other truths to this heavenly, soul-saving truth ? this gospel-truth that is from Christ ? ' His mouth is most sweet.'
In our nature there is a contrary disposition and antipathy to divine truth. We love the law better than the gospel, and any truth better than the law. We love a story, any trifling, baubling thing concerning our ordinai-y callings, better than divine truth. In divine ti-uth, as things are
I56 BOWELS OPENED. [SeEMON XVII.
more spiritual, so the more remote they are naturally from our love and liking. Evangelical truths will not down with a natural heart; such an one had rather hear a quaint point of some vice or virtue finely stood upon than anything in Christ, because he was never truly convinced of his cor- rupt and miserable estate by nature. But when the grace of God hath altered him, and his eyes are open to see his misery, then of all truths the truth of Christ favours* best. Those truths that come out of the mouth of Christ, and out of the ministry concerning Christ, they are the most sweet of all. Oh ! how sweet are those words in the gospel to the poor man, ' Thy sins are forgiven thee,' Mat. ix. 2. Do you think they went not to his heart ? So to the woman, Luke vii. 47. Her many sins are for- given her, for she loved much. Oh ! they were words that went to her soul ! And to the thief on the cross, ' This day thou shalt be with me in paradise,' Luke xxiii. 43. How do you think those words affected him ? So it is with us if ever we have been abased in the sense of our sins. Oh ! how sweet is a promise of mercy then ! ' He that brings it is as one of ten thousand, that comes to declare to man his righteousness. Job. xxxiii. 23 ; to lay open the mercy that belongs to a distressed soul. Oh ! the very feet of those that bring these glad tidings are beautiful ! Rom. x. 15. When our blessed Saviour, after his resurrection, spake to Mary, and called her by her name, after that she had sought him and could not find him, ' 0 Rabboni,' saith she. The words of Christ they melted her pre- sently. Let Christ once call us by our names, for he knows us by name, as he knew Moses, Exod. xxxiv. 27, Isa. xliii. 1 ; let him by his Spirit speak to us by name, and own us, then we call him Rabboni. We own him again, for what is our love but the reflection of his back again ? Therefore saith the psalmist, ' Let me hear the voice of joy and gladness, that the bones that thou hast broken may rejoice,' Ps. li. 8. ' Let me hear ; ' that is, I long for thy word to hear it ; not the bare ministerial word, but the word of the Spirit. But the church resteth not here, but saith further,