Now, if the ordinances of Christ, the word and sacraments, and the shutting sinners out of the church, if these things be vilified as powerless things, it shews a degenerate, wicked heart, not acquainted with the ways of God. If we have a mean esteem of men that suffer for Christ and stand out for him, if we account them so and so, shall we think ourselves Christians in the mean time ? When Christ is altogether lovely, shall they be unlovely that carry the image of Christ ? Can we love him that begets, and hate them that are begotten of him ? Can we love Christ, and hate Christians ? It cannot be.
CaJ^T. V. 16.J ' THIS IS MY BELOVED.' 161
Now, that we may get this affection and esteem of Christ that is so lovely,
Let us labour to make our sbis bitter and loathsome, that Christ may he sweet.
Quest. What is the reason we set no higher a price of Christ ?
Ans. Because we judge not of ourselves as we are indeed, and want spiritual eye-salve to see into ourselves rightly.
2. And let us attend upon the means of salvation, to hear the unsearchable riches of Christ. What makes any man lovely to us, but when we hear of their riches, beauty, and good intent to us ? In the word we are made ac- quainted with the good intent of Christ towards us, the riches of mercy in forgiving our sins, and riches of glory prepared for us. The more we hear of him, of his riches and love to us, the more it will inflame our love to Christ. Those that Uve where the ordinances of Christ are held forth with life and power, they have more heavenly and enlarged affections than others have, as the experience of Christians will testify.
3. Again, if we would esteem highly of Chi-ist that he may be lovely to us, let us join with company that hir/hbj esteem of Christ, and such as are better titan ourselves. What deads the affections so much as carnal, worldly com- pany, who have nothing in them but civility? By converse with them who have discourse of nothing but the world, if a man have heavenly affec- tions, he shall quickly dull them, and be in danger to lose them. They may be conversed with in ciril things, but when we would set to be heavenly and holy minded, let us converse with those that are of an heavebly bent. As we see here, ' the daughters of Jerusalem ' are won to love Christ. By what? By conversing with the church. Upon the discourse that the church makes of his exceUencies, in particular, they begin to ask. Where is Christ, as in the next chapter ; and so are all brought to the love of Christ.
THE EIGHTEENTH SERMON.
His mouth is most sweet ; yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, ana this is my friend, 0 daughters of Jerusalem. — Cant. V. 16.
Whither is thy beloved gone, 0 thou fairest among ivomen? whither is thy be- loved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee ? My beloved is gone down, dc. — Cant. VI. 1, 2.
By this time the church hath well quit herself in that safe subject, com- mending her beloved ; first in general, and then in particular. She aflSrms in effect, there was none Hke him in general ; which she after makes good, in all the particulars of her description. Now she sums up all with a kind of superabundant expression. What shall I say more of him ? if that which is said be not enough, then know farther, he is altogether lovely. There were no end to go through aU his perfections ; but look on him wholly, * he is altogether lovely,' and therefore deserves my love. So that there is no cause why you should wonder at the strength of my affections, and care to find out this my beloved and this my friend, 0 ye daughters of Jerusalem. Thus we see how the pitch of an enlightened soul is bent. It aspires to things suitable to itself; to God-wards ; to union and communion with Christ ; to supernatural objects. Nothing here below is worthy the name of its beloved. It fastens not on earthly, base things. But this is VOL. n. I,
162 BOWELS OPENED. [SeeMON XVIII.
my beloved, and this is my friend, this so excellent a person, this Jedidiah,* this beloved Son, this judge of all, Lord of all, this chief of ten thousand. Here the church pitches her affections, which she conceals, not as ashamed thereof, but in a kind of triumphing, boasting of her choice. She concludes all with a kind of resolute assurance, that the object of this her choice is far beyond all comparison.
' This is my beloved, and this is my friend, 0 daughters of Jerusalem.'
Which is the closing up of her commendations of Christ. ' This is my beloved, and this my friend,' &c. Which shall only be touched, because we had occasion to speak thereof before. She calls Christ her beloved. How- soever he had withdi-awn himself in regard of the comfort and communion she had with him before, yet he is her beloved still.
That which is specially to be stood upon is, that the chiu'ch here doth set out not only in parcels, but in general, her beloved Christ. This is my beloved. She doth, as it were, boast in her beloved. Whence observe :