These and the like reasons there are of the large expressions of the church, of the excellencies of Christ. ' This is my beloved, and this is my Mend, 0 ye daughters of Jerasalem.' But we will single out of these reasons for use, that which I think fittest for us to make use of.
Let us then oft think of the excellencies of Christ for this end, to justify our endeavours and pains we take in the exercises of religion, and to justify God's people from the false imputations of the world, that they lay upon them ; as if they were negligent in. other matters, and were too much busied in spiritual things. You see how large the church is in setting out the excellencies of her beloved, and then she shuts up all (being able to say no more) justify- ing our cause, ' This is my beloved, and this is my friend.' Do you wonder that I seek so much after him then ? or wonder you at Christians, when they take such pains to keep their communion with Christ in a holy walking with, and depending upon God ? These are no wonders, if you consider how excellent Christ is, what he hath done for us, and what he keeps for us in another world ? that he will preserve us to his heavenly kingdom, till he put us into possession of that glorious condition that he hath purchased ? Let the hearts of men dwell upon the consideration of these things, and then you
164 BOWELS OPENED. [SeRMON XYIII.
shall see that God's children are rather to be blamed that they are no more careful, watchful, and industrious, than to be taxed that they are so much. Our Saviour Christ said, ' Wisdom is justified of all her children,' Mat. xi. 19. If you will make good that you are children of wisdom, you must be able to jiistify the wisdom of God every way, to justify your reading, hear- ing, your communion of saints ; to justify all the exercises of religion from an experimental taste and sweetness of them, as the church doth here, ' This is my beloved.' What says Joshua ? ' This choice I have made ; do you what you will, it matters me not, but I and my house will serve the Lord,' Josh, xxiv. 15. So Paul makes a voluntary profession of his affection, Horn. i. 2, ' I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.' Let the gospel be enter- tained in the world as it will, and let others think of me as they will, that I am forward in the preaching of it ; I am not ashamed of it. And good reason he had not to be ashamed ; for it is the power of God to salvation, to all that believe ; yea the saving power to us. And have not I cause to stand in the defence of it ? And so he saith, ' I know whom I have believed,' &c., 2 Tim. i. 12. I am not ashamed to suffer bonds for his sake. Though the world thought him a mean person, ' I will not be scorned out of my faith and religion by shallow, empty persons, that know not what Christ and rehgion meaneth.' No ; * I know whom I have believed ; he is able to keep that that I have committed to him against that day.' Let us therefore be able to justify from a judicious apprehension, sweet divine trviths. You see what justifications there are of the church of God, ' Wherefore should the heathen say. Where is now their God ?' Micah vii. 10, and Ps. xlii. 10. Oh, it went to David's heart, when they said, ' Where is now their God,' ' \Vhat was become of his God,' when he was left in trouble, as the church here. And what doth he answer ? Doth he let it go with a question ? No, says he ; our God is in heaven, Ps. cxiii. 4, and hath done whatsoever he pleased.
And this justification of religion, you may know by this sign. It is with the desertion of all discourses opposite to religion whatsoever. He that justifies the tnith, he esteems meanly of other courses and discourses. Therefore in the next verse the church vilifies the idols. Qui- God is in heaven, and doth whatsoever he pleaseth ; the idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands : they have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, Ps. cxv. 6. And the more we justify Christ, the more we will be against anti- christ and his religion. We may know the owning of the one truth by the vilifying the other. Let us labour therefore to grow to such a convincing knowledge of Christ ; the good things in him ; and the ways of God, as we may be able to stand out against all opposition of the gates of hell whatso- ever.
And to this end proceed in the study of Christ, and to a deeper search of him, and of the excellencies and good things in him, that we may say as Micah vii. 18, 'Who is a God like to thee, that pardons sins and iniquities ?' and as David, Ps. cxiii., ' Who is a God like our God, that humbleth him- self to behold the things done here below '?'