But when is the time that he comes ? Compare this with the fonner chapter. He comes after long waiting for him. The church waited for him, and waited in the use of all means. She runs to the watchmen, and then in- quires after him of the daughters of Jerusalem. After this she finds him. After we have waited and expected Christ in the use of means, Christ at length will discover himself to us ; and yet more immediately, it was after the church had so deseiTedly exalted him in such lofty praises, ' This is my beloved, the chief of ten thousand ; he is altogether lovely.' When we set our hearts to the high exaltation of Christ above all things in the world, proclaiming him ' the chief of ten thousand,' this at the last breeds a gracious discovery, ' I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine,' for Christ when he sees us faithful, and so loving that we will not endure his absence, and so constantly loving, that we love him notwithstanding some discouragements, it melts him at the last, as Joseph was melted by his brethren.
' I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine.'<||
In the words, you see a mutual interest and owning between Christ and the church. Howsoever in the order of words, the church saith, ' I am my beloved's ' first, yet in order of nature Christ is ours first, though not in order of discovery. There is one order of knowing, and another order of causing. Many things are known by the effect, but they issue from a cause. I know he is mine, because I am his. I have given myself to him. I know it is day, because the sun is up. There is a proof fi'om the effect. So I know a man is alive, because he walks. There is a proof of the cause by the effect. ' I am his ; ' I have grace to give myself up to him. Therefore I know he loves me. He is mine. Thus I say in order of discovery ; but in order of natm-e, he is first mine, and then I am his. ' My beloved is mine, and I am my beloved's.'
The union and communion betwixt us and Christ hath been already spoken of.
Now to speak of the branches, ' I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine.' That Christ is first om-s ; and then we are his, because he is ours ; and the wondrous comfort that issues hence — that Christ himself is ours.
How comes Christ to be ours ? (1.) Christ is ours by his Father's gift. God hath given him for us. (2.) Christ is ours by his own gift. He hath given himself for us. (3.) And Christ is ours by his Spirit that witnesseth so much to our spirits. For the Spirit is given for this pui-pose, to shew ofl all things that are given us of God, whereof Chiist is the chief. There-
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178 BOWELS OPENED. [SeKMON XIX.
fore the Spirit of Christ tells us that Christ is ours ; and Christ being ours, all that he hath is ours.
If he be ours, if we have the field, we have all the treasures in the field. If we have him, we have all his. He was born for us ; his birth was for us ; he became man for us ; he was given to death for us. And so like- wise, he is ours in his other estate of exaltation. His rising is for our good. He will cause us to rise also, and ascend with him, and sit in heavenly places, judging the world and the angels. We recover in this second, what we lost in the first, Adam.
Use 1. This is a point of wondrous comfort to shew the riches of a Chris- tian, his high estate, that Christ is his.
And Chi'ist being ours, God the Father and the Holy Spirit and all things else in the world, the rich promises, are ours ; for in Christ they are all made, and for him they shall be performed. For, indeed, he is the chief promise of all himself, and all are ' yea and amen in him,' 2 Cor. i. 20. Can we want righteousness, while we have Christ's righteousness ? Is not his garment large enough for himself and us, too ? Is not his obediencti enough for us ? Shall we need to patch it up with our own righteousness ? He is ours, therefore his obedience is ours.
Use 2. And this should be a gi'ound likewise of contentation-^- in our condi- tion and state whatsoever, — Christ himself is ours. In the dividing of all things, some men have wealth, honours, friends, and greatness, but not Christ, nor the love of God in Christ, and therefore they have nothing in mercy. But a Christian, he hath Christ himself. Christ is his by faith and by the Spirit's witness. Therefore, what if he want those appendencies,f the lesser things ? He hath the main ; what if he want a riveret, a stream ? He hath the spring, the ocean ; him, in whom all things are, and shall he not be content ? Put case a man be very covetous, yet God might satisfy him. What ! shovild anxious thoughts disquiet us, when we have such bills, such obligations from him who is faithfulness itself? WTien a Chiistian cannot say, honour, favour, or gfeat persons are his, yet he can say, he hath that that is worth all, more than all ; Christ is his.