180 BOWELS OPENED. SeEMON XIX«
weak men, I am thine, I am thy child, I am thy spouse, &c, shall we attribute more pity and mercy to ourselves than to the God of mercy and comfort, who planted these affections in the creature ? Shall he make men tender and careful over others, and shall not he himself he careful of his own flock ? Do we think that he will neglect his jewels, his spouse, his diadem, and crown ? Isa. Ixii. 3. He will not.
But you will urge experience. We see how the church is used, even as a forlorn widow, as if she had no husband in the world, as an orphan that had no father. Therefore, how doth this stand good ?
Ans. 1. The answer is, all that the church or any particular Christian suffers in this world, it is but that there may be a conformity between the spouse and the husband. The Head wore a crown of thorns, and went to heaven and happiness through a great deal of misery and abasement in the world, the lowest that ever was. And it is not meet that the church should go to heaven another way.
Ans. 2. Then again, all this is but to fashion the spouse to belike to Christ, but to bring the church and Christ nearer together. That is all the hurt they do, to drive the church nearer to Christ than before. Christ is as near to his church as ever in the greatest aiflictions, by his Spirit. Christ cries out on the cross, ' My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? ' It is a strange voice, that God should be his God, and yet, notwithstanding, seem to forsake him. But God was never more his God than at that pre- sent. Indeed, he was not his God in regard of some feelings that he had enjoyed in former times. He seemed to be forsaken in regard of some sense, as Christ seems to forsake the chm'ch in regard of some sense and feeling, but yet his God still. So the church may say, I am thine still. Though she seem to be forsaken in regard of some feelings, yet she is not deserted in regard of God's care for support of the inward man and fashion- ing to Christ. The church hath never sweeter communion with Christ than under the greatest crosses ; and, therefore, they many times have proved the ground of the greatest comforts. For Christ leads the church into the wilderness, and then speaks to her heart, Hos. ii. 14. Christ speaks to the heart of his spouse in the wilderness, that is, in a place of no comfort. There are no orchards or pleasm-es, but all discomforts there. A man must have it from heaven, if he have any good in the wilderness. In that wilderness, that is, in a desolate, disconsolate estate, Christ speaks to the heart of his children. There is in the wilderness oftentimes a sweet intercourse of love, incomparably beyond the time of prosperity.
Ans. 3 Again, to stay your hearts, know this ivill not be long ; as we see here, the church seemed to be forsaken and neglected, fell into the hands of cruel watchmen, and was fain to go through this and that means, but it was not long ere she met with him whom she sought after. It may be midnight at this time, but the night continues not long ; it wiU be morning ere long. Therefore the church may well say, ' Rejoice not against me, 0 mine enemy ; for though I be fallen, I shall rise again; though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light unto me,' as it is Mic. vii. 8. It shall not be always ill with the church. Those that survive us shall see other manner of days than we see yet, whatsoever we shall ourselves.
4. Hence we have also an use of trial. Whosoever are Christ's, they have hearts to give themselves to him. As he gives himself, not his goods or his honours, but himself for his church, so the church gives herself to Christ. My delight is in him ; he hath myself, my heart, my love and affection, my joy and deUght, and all with myself. If I have any honour,
Cant. VI. 3. J * i am my beloved's.' 181-
he shall have it. I wiU use it for his glon-. My riches I will give them to him and his church and ministry and children, as occasion shall serve. I am his, therefore all that I have is his, if he ask it at my hands. It is said of the Macedonians, they gave themselves to Christ, and then their riches and goods, 2 Cor. viii. 5. It is an easy matter to give our riches to Christ when we have given ourselves first. A Christian, as soon as ever he becomes a Christian, and ever after, to death, and in death too, he gives up himself to Christ. They that stand with Christ, and wiU give this or that particular, will part only with idle things that they may spare, are they Christ's ? No. A Christian gives himself and all his to Christ. So we see here what we should do if Chiist be ours. Let us give up oui'selves to him, as it is Kom. xii. 1. The issue of all that learned profound discourse in the former part of the epistle, that Christ justifieth us by his righteousness and merit, and sanctifies us by his Spirit, and hath predestinated and elected us, and refused others, is this, ' I beseech j-ou, give up yom' bodies and souls, and all as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God.