09. THE NINTH SERMON
THE NINTH SERMON I rose to open to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself.—Song of Solomon 5:6.
NATURALLY we are prone to delays in heavenly things, and then to cover all with excuses. A man is a sophister to himself, whom he first deceives, before the devil or the world deceive him; which is the reason why so oft in Scripture you have this mentioned: ’Be not deceived, God is not mocked,’ Galatians 6:7. ’Be not deceived, neither adulterer, nor covetous person, nor such and such, shall ever enter into the kingdom of heaven,’ 1 Corinthians 6:9. ’Be not deceived,’ which is an intimation that naturally we are very prone to be deceived in points of the greatest consequence in the world, to flatter ourselves, as the church doth here, with false excuses. ’I have put off my coat,’ &c. But we shall now see in this next verse what becomes of all those excuses and backwardness of the church whereby she puts oft Christ.
’My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.
’I rose to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet-smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.
’I rose to open to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself,’ &c., ver. 4–6. This comes of her sluggishness and drowsiness, that Christ absented and withdrew himself. There are three things here set down in these verses now read.
1. Christ’s withdrawing of himself.
2. His gracious dealing, having withdrawn himself.
He doth not altogether leave his church, but ’puts his finger into the hole of the door,’ and then leaves some sweetness behind him before he goes. After which is set down, 3. The success of Christ’s departure and withdrawing of himself from her.
(1.) Her bowels were moved in her, which were hard before.
(2.) She rose up out of her bed, wherein formerly she had framed and composed herself to rest.
(3.) She seeks and calls after him. But the doctrinal points which are to be observed out of these verses are these, Obs. 1. That Christ doth sometimes use to leave his children, as he did the church here.
Obs. 2. That the cause is from the church herself, as we see how unkindly she had used Christ, to let him attend her leisure so long. Therefore he, taking a holy state upon him, leaves the church. The cause of his forsaking us is in ourselves. We may thank ourselves for it.
Obs. 3. That though Christ deal thus with us, yet notwithstanding he never leaves us wholly, without some footsteps of his saving grace and everlasting love; some remainders and prints he leaves upon the soul, so as it lingers after him, and never rests till it find him. He always leaves something. There is never a total desertion; as we see here in Christ’s dealing, ’he puts his finger into the hole of the door.’ He stands at the door, and leaves myrrh behind him, something in the heart that causeth a lingering and restless affection in her towards Christ.
Obs. 4. That the church, by reason of this gracious dealing of Christ, (leaving somewhat behind him) is sensible of her former unkindness, is restless, and stirs up herself to endeavour more and more, till she have recovered her former communion and sweet fellowship with Christ which she had before. She never gives over till Christ and she meet again in peace, as we shall see in the prosecution. These be the chief points considerable.
Obs. 1. First, Christ doth use sometimes to leave his church, as here he doth, ’My beloved had withdrawn himself,’ &c. But what kind of leaving is it?
We must distinguish of Christ’s leavings and withdrawings of himself. They are either in regard of outward or inward comforts and helps.
1. Outward, as Christ leaves his church sometimes by taking away the means of salvation, the ministry, or by taking away outward comforts, which is a withdrawing of his; especially if he accompany the taking of them away with some signs of his displeasure or sense of his anger, as usually it falls out. This doth embitter all crosses and losses, namely, when they come from Christ as a testimony of his anger for our former unkindness.
2. Sometimes his forsaking is more inward, and that is double, either in regard of peace and joy, sweet inward comfort that the soul had wont to feel in the holy ordinances by the Spirit of Christ; or in regard of strength and assistance. There is a desertion in regard of comfort and in regard of strength. Sometimes he leaves them to themselves, in regard of strength and supportation, to fall into some sin, to cure some greater sin perhaps.
Now that Christ thus leaves his church, it is true of all, both of the body and of each particular member of the church.
(1.) It is true of the whole body of the church, for you have the church complaining, Isaiah 49:14, ’God hath forgotten me,’ ’Can a mother forget her child?’ saith God again. So Psalms 44:9; and in other places the church complains of forsakings. The Scripture is full of complaints in this kind.
(2.) It is true of the several members, and especially of the most eminent members, as we see holy Job complains, as if God had ’set him,’ as it were, ’a butt to shoot at,’ Job 6:4, and had opposed himself against him. So David complains, Psalms 88:11, Psalms 77:9, and Psalms 60:1, and in other Psalms, of God’s anger. ’Correct me not in thine anger,’ Psalms 6:1. The Psalms are full of this, so as it would be time unprofitably spent to be large in a point so clear, that every one knoweth well enough who reads and understands the Psalms. So Jonah likewise felt a kind of forsaking when he was in the midst of the sea, when the waves were without and terrors within, when he was in the midst of hell, as it were, Jonah 2:2. Thus, you see, the instances clear the point. The ends that God hath in it are many. (1) To endear his presence the more to us, which we slighted too much before. It is our corruption, the not valuing of things till they be gone. We set not the true price upon them when we enjoy them. When we enjoy good things we look at the grievances which are mingled with the good, and forget the good; which, when it is gone, then we remember the good. The Israelites could remember their onions and garlic, and forget their slavery, Numbers 11:5. So, because manna was present, they despised manna, and that upon one inconvenience it had, ’it was ordinary with them,’ Numbers 21:5. Thus the corrupt heart of man is prone in the enjoying of favours. If it have any grievance, it murmurs at that; and it troubles and makes them forget all the goodness and sweetness of what they enjoy. But, on the contrary, when God withdraws those good things from us, then we forget those former inconveniences, and begin to think what good we had by them. This is the poison and corruption of our nature.
(2.) Again, Christ seems to forsake us, to try the truth of the graces and affections in us, whether they be true or not; and to cause us to make after him, when he seems to forsake us, as undoubtedly we shall, where there is truth of grace planted in the heart in any measure.
(3.) And in regard of others, he doth it to teach us heavenly wisdom, how to deal with those in affliction, 2 Corinthians 1:4. It makes us wise, tender, and successful in dealing with others, when we have felt the like particular grievance ourselves, as Galatians 6:1, ’Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you that are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.’ Experience of spiritual grief in this kind, will make us fit, able, and wise every way to deal with others.
(4.) This serves likewise to wean us from the world, in the plenty and abundance of all earthly things. For take a Christian that hath no cross in the world, let him find some estrangement of Christ from his spirit, that he finds not the comforts of the Holy Ghost, and that enlargement which in former times he enjoyed, and all the wealth he hath, the earthly contentments he enjoys, please him not, nor can content that soul, which hath ever felt sweet communion with Christ. Again, how should we pray with earnestness of affection, ’Thy kingdom come,’ in the time of prosperity, except there were somewhat in this kind to raise up the soul to desire to be gone? Now, it is our subjection to these alterations and changes, ebbings and flowings, sometimes to have the sense of God’s love in Christ, and sometimes to want it; sometimes to feel his love, and sometimes again the fruits of his anger and displeasure, which serves exceedingly to stir up men’s desires of heaven.
(5.) In this place here, the especial end was To correct the security, and ill carriage of the church.
And, likewise (6.) to prepare the church, by this desertion and seeming forsaking, for nearer communion. For, indeed, Christ did not forsake her, but to her feeling, to bring her, in the sequel, to have nearer communion and union with himself than ever she had before. God forsakes, that he may not forsake. He seems strange, that he may be the more friendly. This is Christ’s usage. He personates an adversary, when he intends to shew the greatest effects of his love, as we may see afterwards in the passages following. And also, (7.) to make us to know thoroughly the bitterness of sin, that we may grow up to a further hatred of that which deprives us of so sweet a communion. We think sin a trifle, and never know it enough till the time of temptation; that conscience be awakened and opened; that it appears in its right colours. And then, again, (8.) that we may know what Christ suffered and underwent for us, in the sense of God’s wrath, in the absence of his favour for a time. This the human nature could never have suffered, if his divinity had withdrawn itself. Now, all of us must sip of that cup, whereof Christ drank the dregs, having a taste what it is to have God to forsake us. For the most part, those believers who live any time (especially those of great parts), God deals thus with. Weaker Christians he is more indulgent unto. At such times we know of what use a Mediator is, and how miserable our condition were without such an one, both to have borne and overcome the wrath of God for us, which burden he could never have undergone, but had sunk under it, but for the hypostatical union.
Use 1. Let us not, therefore, censure any Christian, when we find that their course hath been good and gracious, yet notwithstanding they seem to want comfort. Let us not wonder at them, as if God had utterly forsaken them. Indeed, sometimes they think themselves forsaken, and the world thinks them so too, ’that God regards them not,’ Psalms 66:18. They are people of no respect either to God or to others, as you have the church in the Psalms complaining, as if God had forsaken them,’ Psalms 44:9; so they think themselves forsaken, and the world thinks them so too, and neglects them. Therefore, in so doing, we shall censure the generation of the righteous. It was thus with the Head of the church, with the whole church, and with every particular member. Neither is it fit we should always enjoy the sense of God’s love. Christ by heavenly wisdom dispenseth of his sweetness, comforts, and peace, as may stand with our souls’ best good, and we should as much take heed of censuring ourselves in that condition, as if we were rejected and cast away of God. We must judge ourselves at such times by faith, and not by feeling; looking to the promises and word of God, and not to our present sense and apprehension.
Use 2. Again, if this be so, learn to prepare and look for it beforehand, and to get some grounds of comfort, some promises out of the word, and to keep a good conscience. O it is a heavy thing, when God shall seem to be angry with us, and our conscience at the same time shall accuse us; when the devil shall lay sins hard to our charge, and some affliction at the same time lie heavy upon the sore and guilty soul. If we have not somewhat laid up beforehand, what will become of the poor soul, when heaven, and earth, and hell, and all shall seem to be against it. There are few that come to heaven, but they know what these things mean. It is good, therefore, to look for them, and to prepare some comforts beforehand. But what here should be the inward moving cause? It is in the church herself; for mark the coherence. She had turned off Christ with excuses, pretences, and dilatory answers; and now presently upon it Christ forsakes her in regard of her feeling, and of the sweet comfort she formerly enjoyed. The point is, Obs. 2. That the cause rests in ourselves why Christ withdraws comfort from our souls.
If we search our own hearts we shall find it so, and usually the causes in ourselves are these, as it was in the church here: 1. When we are unkind to Christ, and repel the sweet motions of the Spirit. 2. When we improve not the precious means of salvation that we enjoy. 3. When we are careless of our conversation and company. 4. When we linger after carnal liberties and ease. 5. When we yield to carnal policy and shifts to keep us off from the power of religion, to go on in a lukewarm course. 6. When we linger after earthly things and comforts, and wrap ourselves up in fleshly policy for ease. 7. When we tremble not at God’s judgments and threatenings, and at the signs of them; with many such things. Where these dispositions are, we need not wonder if we find not the comforts of Christ and of the Holy Ghost in us, with the gracious presence of his Spirit. The cause is in ourselves. But security hath been at large spoken of before, where the church’s sleep was handled.* Therefore, the point shall not be here enlarged, but only some use made of it, as may serve for the present purpose.
Use 1. If Christ should take away the comforts that we enjoy, and remove himself and his dwelling from us, for he is now yet among us and knocks at our doors, do we not give him just cause to depart? What a spirit of slumber possesseth us, which will be awaked with nothing to seek after Christ! How few lay hold upon God, press upon him, wrestle with him by prayer, to hide themselves before the evil day come, as they should do! Therefore, if Christ have absented himself a long time from the church in general, and withdrawn the comfort and presence of his ordinances; and, in particular, withheld the sweet comforts of our spirits and our peace, so that we see him in the contrary signs of his displeasure and anger, as if he did not regard and respect us, we have given him just cause so to do. We see here how the church used Christ; and so do we, with the like security, and a spirit of slumber, with unkindness. Notwithstanding all the provocations that Christ useth to win us, he leaves us not, until he be left first, for he desires to have nearer acquaintance, communion, and fellowship with the soul, as we have seen in the former verse, ’My love, my dove, my undefiled, open to me,’ &c. Therefore, if we do not enjoy more acquaintance with Christ than we do, and walk more in the comforts of the Holy Ghost, it is merely from our own indisposition and security, Acts 9:31. Therefore, let us censure ourselves in this kind, and not call Christ an enemy, as if he had forgotten, and God had forsaken. Take heed of such a spirit of murmuring. If such a state befall us, let us labour to lay our hand upon our mouth and to justify Christ. It is just with thee thus to leave me, to give me over to this terror, to deal thus with me, that have dealt so unkindly with thee. So to justify God, and accuse ourselves, is the best way to recover spiritual comfort.
Obs. 3. Well, for the third point. That howsoever Christ be provoked by the church’s ingratitude, drowsiness, and careless carriage, to leave her in regard of her feeling, and of inward comfort; yet notwithstanding he is so gracious, as to leave something behind him, that shews indeed, that he had not left the church altogether, but only in some regard. For howsoever Christ, in regard of some order of his providence, leave it, yet in regard of another order of his providence, care and mercy, he doth not leave it, so as one way which he takes must sometimes give place to another way of his working in ordering things. Sometimes he is present in a way of comfort, that is one order of his dispensation; and when he sees that that is neglected, then he withdraws his comforts and hides his gracious countenance. Yet he is then present still in another order and way, though we discern it not, that is, in a way of humbling the soul, letting it see its sin. So here, howsoever Christ had withdrawn himself in regard of this manner of his dealing, in respect of comfort, that the church did not now see his grace, favour; yet he left behind him a spirit of grace, to affect her heart with grief, sorrow, and shame, and to stir up her endeavours to seek after him, as it is said here: ’I rose to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped myrrh, and my fingers sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the locks.’
Here observe these three things, which shall be briefly named, because they shall be touched elsewhere.
Obs. 1. Christ’s grace is the cause of our grace. He first leaves myrrh, and then her fingers drop myrrh. Our oil is from his oil. The head being anointed, ’the oil ran down to the skirts of Aaron’s garments,’ Psalms 133:2; Psalms 36:9; ’Out of his fulness we receive grace for grace,’ John 1:16, that is, our grace is answerable to the grace of Christ. We have all from him, favour for his favour. Because he is beloved, we are beloved. We have the grace of sanctification from him. He was sanctified with the Spirit, therefore we are sanctified. We have grace of privilege for his grace. He is the Son of God, therefore we are sons. He is the heir of heaven, therefore we are heirs. So that of his grace it is we receive all. Whether we take grace for favour, or for the grace of sanctification, or the grace of privilege and prerogative, all our graces are from his, ’our myrrh from his myrrh.’
Use. This should teach us, the necessity of dependence upon Christ, for whatsoever we have or would have; which dependence upon Christ is the life of our life, the soul of our souls.
Again, observe from hence, that the church’s fingers dropped myrrh when she opened the door, and stirred up herself to endeavour. When first her bowels were moved, then she makes to the door, and then her hands dropped myrrh, so that,
Obs. 2. We find experience of the grace of Christ, especially when we stir up ourselves to endeavour. ’Arise and be doing, and the Lord shall be with thee,’ 1 Chronicles 28:20, saith David to Solomon. So let us rouse up ourselves to endeavour, and we shall find a gracious presence of Christ, and a blessed assistance of the Spirit of Christ, who will shew himself in the midst of endeavours. ’To him that hath shall be given:’ what is that? To him that hath, if he exercise and stir up the grace of God in him, shall be given. Matthew 25:29. Therefore, let us stir up the graces of God in us; let us fall upon actions of obedience, second them with prayer. Whatsoever we pray for and desire, set upon the practice thereof. We mock God else, except we endeavour for that we desire. There was myrrh left on the door, but she feels it not till she arose, opened the door, and laid her hand upon the lock.
I speak to any Christian’s experience, if in the midst of obedience they do not find that comfort they looked for, and that it is meat and drink to do God’s will. Therefore keep not off and say, I am dead and drowsy, therefore I shall be still so. You are deceived; fall upon obedience and practising of holy duties, and in the midst thereof thou shalt find the presence and assistance of God’s Spirit. That will comfort thee.
Obs. 3. The third thing observable from hence is this, that God’s graces are sweet. Pleasant and sweet, compared here to myrrh, which was an ingredient in the holy oil. Grace makes us sweet. Prayers are sweet, as it is in Revelation 8:4. Christ mingleth them with his own sweet odours, and so takes and offers them to God. Holy obedience is sweet and delightful to God and to the conscience. It brings peace and delight to others. Therefore they are called fruits. Fruit doth not only imply and shew the issuing of good things from the root, but there is also a pleasantness in it. So there is a delightfulness in good works, as there is in fruit to the taste. Therefore if we would be sweet and delightful to God, let us labour to have grace. If we would think of ourselves with contentment, and have inward sweetness, let us labour for the graces of God’s Spirit. These are like myrrh. ’The wicked are an abomination unto the Lord,’ Proverbs 15:8, who abhors them, and whatsoever is in them. But ’the righteous and sincere man is his delight,’ Proverbs 15:8. Therefore, if we would approve ourselves to God, and feel that he hath delight in us, labour to be such as he may delight in.
Use. Wherefore let the discouraged soul make this use of it, not to be afraid to do that which is good, upon fear we should sin. Indeed, sin will cleave to that we do, but Christ will pardon the sin, and accept that which is sweet of his own Spirit. Let us not esteem basely of that which Christ esteems highly of, nor let that be vile in our eyes that is precious in his. Let us labour to bring our hearts to comfortable obedience, for it is a sweet sacrifice to God.
Now, whence came all this? From this that is mentioned, ’My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him,’ ver. 4. First, for that expression, he put his finger in by the hole of the door. It implies here that Christ, before he departed, left by his Spirit an impression on the church’s heart, which deeply affected her to seek after him. The fingers spoken of are nothing but ’the power of his Spirit.’ As the usual Scripture phrase is, ’This is God’s finger,’ ’God’s mighty hand,’ Exodus 8:19, without which all ordinances are ineffectual. ’Paul may plant, and Apollos may water,’ 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, but all is nothing without the working of the Spirit, the motions whereof are most strong, being God’s finger, whereby he wrought all that affection in the church which is here expressed. Christ, before he leaveth the church, ’puts his finger into the hole of the door,’ that is, he works somewhat in the soul by his Spirit, which stirred up a constant endeavour to seek after him. For why else follows it, ’her bowels were moved after him’? which implies a work of the Spirit upon her bowels, expressed in her grief for his absence, and shame for her refusing his entrance, and whereby her heart was moved and turned in her to seek after him. From whence, thus explained, observe, Obs. 1. That outward means will do no good, unless the finger of Christ come to do all that is good. The finger of Christ is the Spirit of Christ—that is, a kind of divine power goes from him in hearing and speaking the word of God, and in prayer. There is more than a man’s power in all this. If these work any effect, Christ ’must put his finger in.’ When duties are unfolded to us in the ministry of the word, all is to no purpose, but the sounding of a voice, unless the finger of Christ open the heart, and work in the soul.
Use 1. Let us make this use of it, therefore, not to rest in any means whatsoever, but desire the presence of Christ’s finger to move and to work upon our hearts and souls. Many careless Christians go about the ordinances of God, and never regard this power of Christ, this mighty power, ’the finger of Christ.’ Thereupon they find nothing at all that is divine and spiritual wrought in them. For, as it required a God to redeem us, to take our nature, wherein he might restore us, so likewise it requires the power of God to alter our natures. We could not be brought into the state of grace without divine satisfaction, and we cannot be altered to a frame of grace without a divine finger, the finger of God working upon our hearts and souls. This should move us, in all the ordinances of God that we attend upon, to lift up our hearts in the midst of them, ’Lord, let me feel the finger of thy Spirit writing thy word upon my heart.’ ’Turn us, O Lord, and we shall be turned,’ Jeremiah 31:18. Pray for this quickening and enlivening, for this strengthening Spirit. All comes by it. From this that it is said here, ’that Christ puts his finger into the hole of the door before he removed it,’ and withdrew himself, observe,
Obs. 2. How graciously Christ doth deal with us, that he doth always leave some grace before he doth offer to depart. Let us therefore, for the time to come, lay and store this up as a ground of comfort, that howsoever Christ may leave us, yet, notwithstanding, he will never leave us wholly; but as he gave us his Holy Spirit at first, so he will continue Him in us by some gracious work or other, either by way of comfort, or of strength to uphold us. Perhaps we may need more sorrow, more humility, than of any other grace. For winter is as good for the growing of things as the spring, because were it not for this, where would be the killing of weeds and worms, and preparing of the ground and land for the spring? So it is as needful for Christians to find the presence of Christ in the way of humiliation and abasement, causing us to afflict our own souls, as to feel his presence in peace, joy, and comfort. In this life we cannot be without this gracious dispensation. We may therefore comfort ourselves, that howsoever Christ leaves us, yet he will always leave somewhat behind him, as here he left some myrrh after him upon the handle of the door. Some myrrh is left always behind him upon the soul, which keeps it in a state and frame of grace, and sweetens it. Myrrh was one of the ingredients in the holy oil, as it is Exodus 30:30; and so this leaving of myrrh behind him signifies the oil of grace left upon the soul, that enabled the church to do all these things, which are after spoken of.
Obj. But you will say, How doth this appear, when in some desertion a Christian finds no grace, strength, or comfort at all, that nothing is left?
Ans. It is answered, they always do. Take those who at any time have had experience of the love of God, and of Christ formerly, take them at the worst, you shall find from them some sparkles of grace, broken speeches of tried secret comfort, some inward strength and struggling against corruptions; their spirits endeavouring to recover themselves from sinking too low, and with something withstanding both despair and corruption. Take a Christian at the worst, there will be a discovery of the Spirit of Christ left in him, notwithstanding all desertion. This is universally in all in some measure, though perhaps it is not discerned to a Christian himself, but to those that are able to judge. Sometimes others can read our evidences better than ourselves. A Christian that is in temptation cannot judge of his own estate, but others can. And so, at the very worst, he hath always somewhat left in him, whereby he may be comforted. Christ never leaves his church and children that are his wholly. Those that are wholly left, they never had saving grace, as Ahithophel, Cain, Saul, and Judas were left to themselves. But for the children of God, if ever they found the power of sanctifying grace, ’Christ whom he loves, he loves to the end,’ John 13:1, from whom he departs not, unless he leaves somewhat behind him, that sets an edge upon the desires to seek after him.
Use 2. Make this second use of it, to magnify the gracious love and mercy of Christ, that when we deserve the contrary, to be left altogether, yet notwithstanding so graciously he deals with us. Behold, in this his dealing, the mercy of Christ. He will not suffer the church to be in a state of security, but will rather, to cure her, bring her to another opposite state of grief and sorrow, as we shall see in the next point, how that which Christ left in the heart of the church so afflicted her ’that her bowels were turned in her.’ Whereupon she riseth, seeks, and inquires after Christ by the watchmen and others. So she saith of herself,
’My bowels were moved in me,’ &c. What was that? My heart was affected full of sorrow and grief for my unkind dealing with Christ. Hereby those affections were stirred up, that were afore sleepy and secure, to godly grief, sorrow, and shame. For God hath planted affections in us, and joined them with conscience, as the executioners with the judge. So that, when as conscience accuseth of any sin, either of omission or commission, affections are ready to be the executioners within us. Thus to prevent eternal damnation, God hath set up a throne in our own hearts, to take revenge and correction by our own affections, godly sorrow and mourning, as here the church saith, ’My bowels were turned in me.’ It was a shame and grief, springing out of love to Christ, that had been so kind, patient, and full of forbearance to her. ’My bowels were turned in me;’ that is, sorrow and grief were upon me for my unkind dealing. The observation from hence is, That security and a cold, dull state produceth a contrary temper. That is, those that are cold, dull, secure, and put off Christ, he suffers them to fall into sharp sorrows and griefs.
We usually say, Cold diseases must have hot and sharp remedies. It is most true spiritually. Security, which is a kind of lethargy, a cold disease, forgetting of God and our duty to him, must have a hot and sharp cure. And the lethargy is best cured by a burning ague. So Christ deals here. He puts his finger in at the hole of the door, and leaves grace behind to work upon the bowels of the church, to make her grieve and be ashamed for her unkind dealing. Thus he cures security by sorrow. This is the best conclusion of sin. And we may observe withal, that even sins of omission, they bring grief, shame, and sorrow. And in the issue, through Christ’s sanctifying them, these which they breed consume the parent. That is, sin brings forth sorrow, shame, and grief, which are a means to cure sin. Security breeds this moving of the bowels, which moving helps security. Would we therefore prevent sorrow, shame, and grief? Take heed then of security, the cause that leads to them; yea, of sins of omission, wherein there is more danger than in sins of commission. The sins of carnal, wicked men are usually sins of commission; most which break out outrageously, and thereby taint themselves with open sins. But the sins of God’s people, who are nearer to him, are for the most part sins of omission; that is, negligence, coldness, carelessness in duty, want of zeal, and of care they should have in stirring up the graces of God in them; as the church here, which did not give way to Christ, nor shook off security.
Use. Let us esteem as slightly as we will of sins of omission and carelessness, they are enough to bring men to hell if God be not the more merciful. It is not required only that we do no harm, and keep ourselves from outward evils; but we must do good in a good manner, and have a care to be fruitful and watchful, which if we do not, this temper will bring grief, shame, and sorrow afterwards. As here, even for sins of omission, deadness, and dulness, we see the church is left by Christ, ’and her bowels are turned in her.’ For careless neglect and omission of duty to God is a presage and forerunner of some downfal and dejection. And commonly it is true, when a man is in a secure and careless state, a man may read his destiny (though he have been never so good); nay, the rather if he be good. Such a one is in danger to fall into some sharp punishment, or into some sin; for of all states and tempers, God will not suffer a Christian to be in a secure, lazy, dead state, when he cannot perform things comfortably to God, or himself, or to others. A dead, secure estate is so hateful to him (decay in our first love, this lukewarm temper) that he will not endure it. It either goes before some great sin, cross, affliction, or judgment.
’My bowels were moved in me.’ And good reason. It was a suitable correction to the sin wherein she offended. For Christ, his bowels were turned towards her in love and pity, ’My love, my dove, my undefiled,’ in which case, she neglecting him, it was fit she should find ’moving of bowels’ in another sense, out of love too, but in shame and mourning. Christ here leaves her to seek after him, that had waited and attended her leisure before, as we shall see after. The next thing we may hence observe in that, ’that her bowels were turned in her,’ from something left in the hole of the door by the Spirit of Christ, is, That Christ hath our affections in his government.
He hath our bowels in his rule and government, more than we ourselves have. We cannot of ourselves rule our grief, shame, sorrow, or such affections as these, The wisest man in the world cannot award* grief and sorrow when God will turn it upon his bowels, and make a man ashamed and confounded in himself. All the wit and policy in the world cannot suppress those affections. For Christ rules our hearts, ’The hearts of kings are in his hand, as the rivers of water,’ Proverbs 21:1, as well as the hearts of ordinary persons.
If he set anything upon the soul to afflict it and cast it down, it shall afflict it, if it be but a conceit. If he will take away the reins from the soul, and leave it to its own passion, removing away its guard; for he by his Spirit guards our souls with peace, by commanding of tranquillity; so as let him but leave it to itself, and it will tear itself in sunder, as Ahithophel, who being left to himself, did tear himself in pieces, 2 Samuel 17:23. Cain also being thus left, was disquieted, tormented, and wracked himself, Genesis 4:13. So Judas in this case, being divided in himself, you see what became of him, Matthew 27:5. Let Christ but leave us to our own passion of sorrow, what will become of us but misery? He hath more rule therefore of our passions than we ourselves have, because we cannot rule them graciously, nor can we stay them when we would.
Use. Therefore this should strike an awe in us of God, with a care to please him. For there is not the wisest man in the world, but if he remove his guard from his soul, and leave him to himself; if there were no devil in hell, yet he would make him his own tormentor and executioner. Therefore the apostle makes this sweet promise. He bids them pray to God; ’and the peace of God which passeth all understanding should guard their souls,’ &c., Philip. 4:7. So the word is in the original. It is a great matter for the keeping of God’s people, to have their souls guarded.
’Her bowels were turned in her.’
Here again, as the conclusion of all this, we seeing this estate of the church, may wonder at Christ’s carriage towards her in this world. Christ is wonderful in his saints, and in his goodness towards them, 2 Thessalonians 1:10; sometimes alluring them, as we see Christ the church here; wondrous in patience, notwithstanding their provocation of him; wondrous in his desertions; wondrous in leaving something behind him in desertions. Those that are his he will not leave them without grace, whereby they shall seek him again. Nay, the falling out of lovers shall be the renewing of fresh and new love, more constant than ever the former was. Thus our blessed Saviour goes beyond us in our deserts, taking advantage even of our security; for our greater good, making all work to good in the issue, Romans 8:28; which shall end in a more near and close communion between Christ and his church than ever before. Carnal men feel not these changes, ebbings and flowings. They are not acquainted with God’s forsakings. Indeed their whole life is nothing but a forsaking of God, and God’s forsaking of them, who gives them outward comforts, peace and friends in the world, wherein they solace themselves. But for inward communion with him, any strength to holy duties, or against sin, for to be instruments for God’s honour, and service, to do any good, they are careless. For they live here to serve their own turns, leaving their state and inheritance behind them. The Scripture saith, ’They have no changes, therefore they fear not God,’ Psalms 55:19; and so they go down to hell quietly and securely. Oh! but it is otherwise with God’s children. They are tossed up and down. God will not suffer them to prosper, or live long in a secure, drowsy, sinful state, the continuance wherein is a fearful evidence that such an one as yet hath no saving grace, nor that he yet belongs to God, seeing Christ hates such an estate, and will not suffer his to be long therein, but will shift and remove them from vessel to vessel, from condition to condition, till he have wrought in them that disposition of soul that they shall regard and love him more and more, and have nearer and nearer communion with him.