* This is the title of one of Thomas Powell's excellent practical treatises, viz. : — ' Salvo for Soul-Sores.'— G.
t That is, celebration of the sacrament. — G.
Cant. VI. 3.] * he feedeth among the lilies.' 198
stoBg with Satan and his temptations, were it not for the blood of Christ to quench our thu-st, and the body of Christ given by the Father to death for sin ? Were it not that the soul could think upon this, where were the comfort of the soul ? All this is represented to us here in the sacrament. We feed on the body and blood of Christ spiritually, and are refreshed thereby, as Terily as our bodies are refreshed with the bread and wine. For God doth not feed us with empty symbols and representations, but with things themselves, that the soul which comes prepared by faith is partaker of Christ crucified, and is knit to him, though now in heaven. There is as sure an union and communion between Christ and the Chris- tian soul, as there is between the food and the body, when it is once digested.
Therefore let us come to this blessed, to this sweet food of our souls with hungi-y appetites and thankful hearts, that God hath given us the best comforts of his word, and fed us with the sweet comforts of the sacraments, as a seal of the word. We should even spend our Hves much in thankful- ness for this, that he will feed us so sweetly, that thinks nothing is good enough for our food, but his own self, with his own gracious word and truth. Thus we should be very thankful unto God, and now at this time labour to get hungry appetites fit for this blessed food to receive it.
How shall we do that ?
1. Think seriously of the former part of thy life, and this week past. For Christ, the food of the soul, relisheth well with the sour herbs of repent- ance. Let us stir up in our hearts repentance for our sins, and sorrow in the consideration of our own corrupt nature and life ; and when we have felt our corruptions and have the sense of om- want, then Christ \\'ill be sweet to us. The paschal lamb was to be eaten with soui- herbs ; so Christ our passover must be eaten with repentance.
2. Then withal there must be purging. There are many things which clog the stomach. Come not with worldly, wicked, malicious affections, which puff up the soul, James i. 21 ; ' but lay aside,' as the apostle wish- eth, * all guile, malice, and superfluity,' 1 Pet. ii. 1. Empty the soul ol aU sin and prepossessing * thoughts or affections.
3. And then consider the necessity of spiritual strength, that we have need to grow up more and more in Christianity, to be feeding still. We have need of strong faith and strong assui-ance that Christ is ours, and that we are his. Let us often frequent this ordinance, and come prepared as we should, and we shall find Christ making good his own ordinance, in his own best time ; so as we shall be able to say, in truth of heart, experimentally and feelingly with the church, * My beloved is mine, and I am his. He feedeth among the lihes.'
FINIS.
NOTES.
(a) P. 4.-—' Some would have Solomon, by a spirit of prophecy, to take a view here of all the time,' &c. For a very full and valuable, though, in respect of the early English expositors (of whom there are many in whole or part), defective and meagre, • Historical Sketch of the Exegesis of the Book,' consult Ginsburg's ' Song of Songs, .... with a Commentary, Historical and Critical,' (London, Longman, 1857, 8vo) pp. 20-101. The opinions referred to by Sibbcs will be found duly recorded.
* That is, ' pre-occupying.' — G. VOL. n. N
194 BOWELS OPENED.
(b) P. 35. — ' One soul in two bodies.' This definition of friendship, which is again and again introduced by Sibbes and his contemporaries, is ascribed to Aristotle by Diogenes Laertius (v. § 20), as follows: i^urridslg ti 'sSti (piXog, "apri, fiia ■^v^ri diio aufMagiv 'itoi>couoa. Cf. Aristotle, Eth. Nic, ix. 8, § 2, Ovid. Trist., iv. 4, 72. Probably Sibbes derived it from Augustine (a favourite with him), who applies it to his friend Nebridius. Materials for an interesting paper on this saying, in its multiform variations, have accumulated in my hands.
(c) P. 37. — ' This goetli in the world for unnecessary nicety.'' This reminds us of an anecdote of the saintly Kichard Rogers, who was remarkable for seriousness and gravity in all kinds of company. Being once engaged in conversation with one of the ' wits,' who said to him, 'Mr Eogers, I like you and your company very well, only you are too precise;' he replied, 'Oh, sir, I serve a precise God.' — Firmin'a Eeal Christian, p. 67, ed. 1670.
{d) P. 38. — ' Postill-like.' The allusion, no doubt, is to the over-subtle distinctions and uselessly curious speculations of the scholastic expositions of Scripture, which are called ' Postilla.' Various had been translated in the time of Sibbes, under the title of ' Postils.'
(e) P. 48. — ' Da mihi cor.^ Jesuitism, even in its present working, proceeds on this maxim, of which there have been many startling evidences.