03. THE THIRD SERMON
THE THIRD SERMON
I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk; eat O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved! I sleep, but my heart waketh, &c.—Song of Solomon 5:1-2.
IT hath been shewed how Christ and the church were feasting together. She entreated his company ’to come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits.’ He, according to her desire, was come; and not only feasted on the church’s provision, but also brought more with him. Christ taking walks in his garden, that is, his church, and every particular soul, which is as a sweet paradise for him to delight in, is much refreshed; and in witness of acceptance brings increase. What greater encouragement can we wish, than that we, being by nature as the earth, since the fall, accursed, should be the soil of Christ’s delight, planted and watered by him; and that what we yield should be so well taken of him. We are under so gracious a covenant that all our services are accepted; not only our honey, but honeycomb; not only our wine, but our milk; our weak services as well as our strong; because the Spirit which we have from him sweeteneth all. As in nature there is one common influence from heaven, but yet variety of flowers, violets, roses, gilliflowers, spices, all sweet in their several kind, with a different kind of sweetness: so all graces have their beginning from the common influence of Christ’s Spirit, though they differ one from another; and are all accepted of the ’Father of lights,’ from whence they come, James 1:17. Christ wonders at his own grace, ’O woman, great is thy faith,’ Matthew 15:28; and Song of Solomon 3:6, ’Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?’
Let not the weakest of all others be discouraged. Christ looks not to what he brings, so much as out of what store; that which is least in quantity may be most in proportion, as the widow’s mite was more in acceptance than richer offerings, Luke 21:3, ’A pair of turtle doves,’ Levit. 5:7, was accepted in the law, and those that brought but goats’ hair to the building of the tabernacle, Exodus 35:6. The particulars here specified that Christ took delight in, and inviteth others to a further degree of delight in, are Myrrh and spice, honey and honeycomb, milk. Which shew, 1. The sweetness of grace and spiritual comfort. 2. The variety. 3. The use.
Myrrh and spices, 1, refresh the spirits, and 2, preserve from putrefaction; which are therefore used in embalming. If the soul be not embalmed with grace, it is a noisome, carrion soul; and as it is in itself, so whatsoever cometh from it is abominable.
Milk and honey nourish and strengthen; and wine increaseth spirits; and thereupon encourageth and allayeth sorrow and cares. ’Give wine to him that is ready to die,’ Proverbs 31:6. The sense of the love of Christ is sweeter than wine; it banisheth fears, and sorrow, and care. From this mutual delight between Christ and his spouse we observe next, that
There is a mutual feasting betwixt Christ and his church. The church bringeth what she hath of his Spirit; and Christ comes with more plenty. For there being so near a covenant between him and us, we are by his grace to perform all offices on our part. We invite him, and he inviteth us. There is not the meanest Christian in whom there is not somewhat to welcome Christ withal; but Christ sends his provision before, and comes, as we say, to his own cost. He sends a spirit of faith, a spirit of love, a spirit of obedience. 1. Some are content to invite others, but are loth to go to others, as if it were against state. They would have wherewith to entertain Christ, but are unwilling to be beholden to Christ. 2. Some are content to have benefit by Christ, as his righteousness to cover them, &c., but they desire not grace to entertain Christ; but a heart truly gracious desireth both to delight in Christ, and that Christ may delight in it. It desireth grace together with mercy, holiness with happiness. Christ could not delight in his love to us, if we by his grace had not a love planted in our hearts to him. But to come to speak of this feast.
We see it pleaseth Christ to veil heavenly matters with comparisons fetched from earthly things, that so he may enter into our souls the better by our senses.
1. Christ maketh us a feast, a marriage feast, a marriage feast with the King’s Son, of all feasts the most magnificent. A feast, first, in regard of the choice rarities we have in Christ. We have the best, and the best of the best. ’Fat things, and the marrow of fatness; wine, and wine on the lees,’ Isaiah 25:6, refined, that preserveth the strength. The comforts we have from Christ, are the best comforts; the peace, the best peace; the privileges, the highest privileges. ’His flesh,’ crucified for us, to satisfy divine justice, ’is meat indeed; his blood, shed for us, is drink indeed,’ John 6:55; that is, the only meat and drink to refresh our souls; because these feed our souls, and that to eternal life. The love of God the Father in giving Christ to death; and Christ’s love in giving himself, together with full contentment to divine justice; this gift it is that the soul especially feeds on. What could Christ give, better than himself to feed on? He thought nothing else worthy for the soul to feed on; and this it daily feeds on, as daily guilt riseth from the breakings out of the remainder of corruption. Other dainties are from this; from hence we have the Spirit, and graces of the Spirit. If he giveth himself, will he not give all things with himself?
2. As Christ maketh a feast of choice things for his elect and choice spouse, so there is variety, as in a feast. ’Christ is made to us of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,’ 1 Corinthians 1:30, that we should not be too much cast down with thought of our own folly, guilt, unholiness, and misery. There is that in Christ which answereth to all our wants, and an all-sufficiency for all degrees of happiness. Therefore, he hath terms from whatsoever is glorious and comfortable in heaven and earth. Christ is all marrow, all sweetness. All the several graces and comforts we have, and the several promises whereby they are made over and conveyed unto us, are but Christ dished out in several manner, as the need of every Christian shall require. Christ himself is the ocean, issuing into several streams, to refresh the city of God. We can be in no condition, but we have a promise to feed on, and ’all promises are yea and amen,’ 2 Corinthians 1:20,’ made to us ’in Christ,’ and performed to us ’for Christ.’
3. Therefore, as we have in Christ a feast for variety, so for sufficiency of all good. No man goeth hungry from a feast. It was never heard for any to famish at a feast. In Christ there is not only abundance, but redundance, a diffusive and a spreading goodness; as in breasts to give milk, in clouds to drop down showers, in the sun to send forth beams. As Christ is full of grace and truth, so he fully dischargeth all his offices. There is an overflowing of all that is good for our good. He that could multiply bread for the body, he can multiply grace for our soul. If he giveth life, he giveth it in abundance, John 10:10. If he giveth water of life, he giveth rivers, not small streams, John 7:38. If he giveth peace and joy, he giveth it in abundance; his scope is to fill up our joy to the full. As he is able, so ’is he willing to do for us far more abundantly than we are able to think or speak,’ Ephesians 3:20. Where Christ is present, he bringeth plenty with him. If wine be wanting at the first, he will rather turn water into wine, than there should be a fail.
4. In a feast there is variety of friendly company; so here friends are stirred up to refresh themselves with us. We have the blessed Trinity, the angels, and all our fellow-members in Christ to come with us.
There is no envy in spiritual things, wherein whatsoever the one hath, the other hath not the less.
5. In a feast, because it is intended for rejoicing, there is music; and what music like to the sweet harmony between God, reconciled in Christ, and the soul, and between the soul and itself, in inward peace and joy of the Holy Ghost, shedding the love of Christ in the soul. We do not only joy, but glory, under hope of glory, and in afflictions, and in God now as ours, in whom now by Christ we have an interest, Romans 6:2-10. When we come sorrowful to this feast, we depart cheerful. This, as David’s harp, stills all passions and distempers of spirit. The founder and master of the feast is Christ himself; and withal is both guest, and banquet, and all. All graces and comforts are the fruits of his Spirit; and he alone that infused the soul, can satisfy the soul. He that is above the conscience can only quiet the conscience. He is that wisdom that ’sends forth maids,’ Proverbs 9:3, his ministers, to invite to his feast. It is he that cheereth up his guests, as here. Those that invited others, brought ointment, and poured it out upon them, to shew their welcome, and to cheer them up, as may appear by our Saviour’s speech to the Pharisee that invited him, Luke 7:44. So we have from Christ both the oil of grace and oil of gladness. ’He creates the fruits of the lips to be peace,’ Isaiah 57:19, speaking that peace and joy to the heart that others do to the ear. ’He raiseth pastors according to his own heart, to feed his sheep,’ Jeremiah 3:15. The vessels wherein Christ conveyeth his dainties are the ministry of the word and sacraments. By the word and sacraments we come to enjoy Christ and his comforts and graces; and by this feast of grace we come at length to the feast of feasts, that feast of glory, when we shall be satisfied with the image of God, and enjoy fulness of pleasures for evermore; and, which adds to the fulness, we shall fully know that it shall be a never-interrupted joy.
We see, then, that we cannot please Christ better than in shewing ourselves welcome, by cheerful taking part of his rich provision. It is an, honour to his bounty to fall to; and it is the temper of spirit that a Christian aims at, to ’rejoice always in the Lord,’ Php 4:4, and that from enjoying our privileges in him. We are not bidden to mourn always, but to ’rejoice always,’ and that upon good advisement; ’Rejoice,’ and ’I say again,’ saith St Paul, ’rejoice.’ Indeed, we have causes of mourning, but it is that the seed of joy should be sown in mourning; and we can never be in so forlorn a condition, wherein, if we understand Christ and ourselves, we have not cause of joy. ’In me,’ saith Christ, ’ye shall have peace,’ John 16:33. The world will feed us with ’bread of affliction,’ Hosea 9:4. If the world can help it, we shall have sorrow enough; and Christ knows that well enough, and stirs us up to a cheerful feeding on that he hath procured for us. He hath both will, and skill, and power, and authority to feed us to everlasting life, for the Father sent him forth, and sealed him to that purpose. All the springs of our joy are from him, Psalms 87:7. Our duty is to accept of Christ’s inviting of us. What will we do for him, if we will not feast with him? We will not suffer with him, if we will not feast with him; we will not suffer with him, if we will not joy with him, and in him. Happy are they that come, though compelled by crosses and other sharp ways. If we rudely and churlishly refuse his feast here, we are like never to taste of his feast hereafter. Nothing provokes so deeply as kindness despised. It was the cause of the Jews’ rejection. ’How shall we escape,’ not if we persecute, but ’if we do but neglect so great salvation?’ Hebrews 2:3. That which we should labour to bring with us is a taste of these dainties, and an appetite to them. The soul hath a taste of its own, and as all creatures that have life have a taste to relish and distinguish of that which is good for them, from that which is offensive, so wheresoever spiritual life is, there is likewise a taste suitable to the sweet relish that is in spiritual things. God should lose the glory of many excellent creatures if there were not several senses to discern of several goodness in them. So if there were not a taste in the soul, we could never delight in God, and his rich goodness in Christ.
Taste is the most necessary sense for the preservation of the creature, because there is nearest application in taste; and that we should not be deceived in taste, we hear, see, and smell before, and if these senses give a good report of the object, then we taste of it and digest it, and turn it into fit nourishment. Omnis vita gustu ducitur. So the spirit of man, after judgment of the fitness of what is presented, tastes of it, delights in it, and is nourished by it. There is an attractive, drawing power in the soul, whereby every member sucks that out of the food that is convenient for it. So the soul draws out what is well digested by judgment, and makes it its own for several uses. The chief thing that Christ requireth is a good stomach to these dainties.
1. The means to procure an appetite. We are first to be sensible of spiritual wants and misery. The passover lamb was eaten with sour herbs; so Christ crucified, relisheth best to a soul affected with bitterness of sin. Whilst men are rich in their conceit, they go empty away. The duties and performances they trust to, are but husks, windy, empty chaff. Swelling is not kind nourishment.
2. That which hinders the sharpness of the stomach are, cold defluxions, that dull and flat the edge of it. So upon plodding upon the world, cold distillations drop upon the soul, and take away the savour and desire of heavenly things. These things fill not. There is both a vanity of emptiness, and a vanity of short continuance in them. ’Why should we lay out our money,’ Isaiah 55:2, spend our time, our wits, our endeavour so much about them? This makes so many starvelings in religion.
Besides, there be other noisome affections to be purged, as 1 Peter 2:1, [’Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,’ which breed a distaste and disaffection to spiritual things;] as malice and guile, &c. How can Christ be sweet to that soul unto which revenge is sweet!
3. Exercise quickens appetite. Those that exercise themselves unto godliness, see a need of spiritual strength to maintain duty. A dull formalist keeps his round, and is many years after where he was before; sees no need of further growth or strength. A Christian life, managed as it should be indeed, as it hath much going out, so it must have much coming in. It will not else be kept up. Those that have a journey to go, will refresh themselves for afterward, lest they faint by the way.
4. Company likewise of such as ’labour for that blessed food that endureth to life eternal,’ John 6:27, provoketh to fall too as the rest do, especially if they be equal or go beyond us in parts. For we will reason with ourselves, Have not I as much need as they? If these things be good for them, then they are good for me.
Thus St Paul foretelleth, that the example of the Gentiles should provoke the Jews to come in, and taste of the banquet Christ hath provided for both, Romans 11:25-26. Especially this should stir us up earnestly to take our part in that Christ hath provided, because we know not how soon the table may be taken away. When men see the dishes in removing, though before they have discoursed away much time of their supper, yet then they will fall fresh to it. We know not how long wisdom will be inviting of us. It will be our wisdom to take our time, lest we put off so long, as wisdom herself laughs at our destruction; and a famine be sent, of all famines the most miserable, a famine of the word, and then we may pine away eternally without comfort. Christ will not always stand inviting of us. If we will none of his cheer, others will, and shall, when we shall starve.
Let this draw us on, that we see here Christ’s hearty and free welcome, the gracious look that we are like to have from him. He counts it an honour, since he hath made such rich provision, for us to take part, and for our part, shew our unwillingness, that such free kindness should be refused. We cannot honour his bounty more than to feed liberally of that he liberally sets before us. We are glad to perceive our friends upon invitation to think themselves welcome. Let us open our mouth wide, since Christ is so ready to fill it. We are not straitened in his love, but in our own hearts. The widow’s oil failed not till her vessels failed, 2 Kings 4:6. We are bidden to delight in the Lord, and in whom should we delight, but where all fulness is to be had to delight in? Our spirits are not so large as those blessed comforts are which we are called to the enjoyment of. If the capacity of our souls were a thousand times larger, yet there is so large a sea of comfort in Christ, as they are not able to comprehend it. A taste of these good things breeds ’joy unspeakable,’ and ’peace that passeth all understanding,’ Philip. 4:7. What will the fulness do? This taste we feel in the ordinances will bring us to that fulness hereafter. Oh, let us keep our appetites for these things which are so delightful, so suitable to the soul. How great is that goodness which he both lays up for hereafter, and lays out for his, even here in this life! In some ages of the church, the feasts that Christ hath made have been more solemn and sumptuous than in other thereafter, as Christ hath been more or less clearly and generally manifested. At Christ’s first coming there was a greater feast than before; because the riches of God’s love in Christ were then laid open, and the pale of the church was enlarged by the coming in of the Gentiles. So will there be a royal feast, when the Jews shall be converted. ’Blessed then shall those be that shall be called to the supper of the Lamb,’ Revelation 19:9. Suppers are in the end of the day, and this supper shall be furnished towards the end of the world. But then will be the true magnificent supper, when all that belong to God’s election shall meet together, and feed upon that heavenly manna for ever. Then there will be nothing but marrow itself, and wine without all dregs. In all our contentments here, there is some mixture of the contrary; then nothing but pure quintessence. In the mean time, he lets fall some manna in this our wilderness, he lets us relish that now. It will not putrefy as the other manna did, but endure, and make us endure for ever. It’s the true ’bread of life.’
Mark how Christ draws his spouse on to drink, and drink abundantly. There is no danger of taking too much. Where the spring is infinite, we can never draw these wells dry, never suck these breasts of consolation too much; and the more strong and cheerful we are, the better service we shall perform, and the more accepted. Delight is as sugar, sweet in itself, and it sweetens all things else. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Duties come off more gracefully, and religion is made more lovely in the eyes of all, when it comes forth in strength and cheerfulness. Christ’s housekeeping is credited hereby. In our Father’s house is plenty enough, Luke 15:17. When the martyrs had drunk largely of this wine, it made them forget friends, riches, honours, life itself. The joy stirred up by it, carried them through all torments.
If any be hindered by conceit of unworthiness, if affected deeply with it, let them consider what kind of men were compelled to the banquet, the blind, the lame, Luke 14:21. See a lively picture of God’s mercy in the example of the prodigal. He fears sharp chiding, and the father provides a rich banquet. He goeth to his father, but the father runs to meet him, Luke 15:20. Did Christ ever turn back any that came unto him, if they came out of a true sense of their wants?
’Eat, O friends.’ Christ, out of the largeness of his affections, multiplieth new titles and compellations—’beloved’ and ’friends.’ Christ provides a banquet, and invites his friends, not his enemies. Those good things that neither ’eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, that are above our conceit to apprehend,’ 1 Corinthians 2:9; these are provided for ’those that love him,’ not that hate him. He mingles another cup for them, ’a cup of wrath,’ and they are to ’drink up the very dregs of it,’ Psalms 75:8. Friendship is the sweetness, intimateness, and strength of love. In our friends our love dwells and rests itself. Conjugal friendship is the sweetest friendship. All the kinds and degrees of friendship meet in Christ towards his spouse. It is the friendship of a husband, of a brother; and if there be any relation in the world wherein friendship is, all is too little to express the love of Christ. In friendship there is mutual consent, an union of judgment and affections. There is a mutual sympathy in the good and ill one of another, as if there were one soul in two bodies (b). There be mutual friends and mutual enemies. ’Do I not hate them,’ saith David, ’that hate thee?’ Psalms 139:21. There is mutual love of one another for their own sakes. In flattery, men love themselves most; in semblance, love others, but all is in reflection to themselves.
There is liberty which is the life of friendship; there is a free intercourse between friends, a free opening of secrets. So here Christ openeth his secrets to us, and we to him. We acquaint him with the most hidden thoughts of our hearts, and we lay open all our cares and desires before him. Thus Abraham was called God’s friend, 2 Chronicles 20:7, and the disciples Christ’s friends, John 15:15. It is the office of the Spirit to reveal the secrets of Christ’s heart to us, concerning our own salvation. He doth not reveal himself to the world. In friendship, there is mutual solace and comfort one in another. Christ delighteth himself in his love to his church, and his church delighteth herself in her love to Christ. Christ’s delight was to be with the sons of men, and ours is to be with him. In friendship there is a mutual honour and respect one of another; but here is some difference in this friendship. For though Christ calls us friends, and therein in some sort brings himself down to us, yet we must remember that this is a friendship of unequals. Christ’s honouring of us is his putting honour upon us. Our honouring of him is the giving him the ’honour due to his name,’ 1 Chronicles 16:29. This friendship must be maintained by due respect on our parts. As he is our friend, so he is our king, and knows how to correct us if we forget our distance. If he here seem to use us hardly, it is that he may use us the more kindly after. He suffers much for us, therefore we may well allow him the liberty of seasonable correcting of us.
He that inspireth friendship into others will undoubtedly keep the laws of friendship himself, will count our enemies his enemies. The enemies of the church shall one day know that the church is not friendless. And as his friendship is sweet, so constant in all conditions. He useth not his friends as we do flowers, regard them only when they are fresh; but he breeds that in us that may make us such as he may still delight in us. If other friends fail, as friends may fail, yet this friend will never fail us. If we be not ashamed of him, he will never be ashamed of us. How comfortable would our life be if we could draw out the comfort that this title of friend affordeth! It is a comfortable, a fruitful, an eternal friendship.
’I sleep, but my heart waketh.’ Here the church expresseth a changeable passage of her spiritual condition, after she had recovered herself out of a former desertion, expressed in the beginning of the third chapter; and enjoyed a comfortable intercourse with Christ. Now she falleth into a deeper desertion and temptation, from the remainder of corruption getting strength. The church now falleth asleep, then was awake in the night, and sought her beloved. Here is no present awaking, no seeking; there no misusage by the watchmen, as here. There she findeth him more speedily; here she falls sick with love before Christ discovereth himself.
Before we come to the words, observe in general,
Obs. 1. That the state of the Church and every Christian is subject to spiritual alterations. The church is always ’beloved,’ a ’spouse,’ a ’friend;’ but in this one state there falleth out variety of changes. No creature subject to so many changes as man. From a state of innocency he fell into a state of corruption. From that he, by grace, is restored to a state of grace, and from grace to glory, where his condition shall be as Christ’s now is, and as heaven the place is, altogether unchangeable. And in that state of grace, how many intercourses be there! the foundation of God’s love to us, and grace in us always remaining the same. Once beloved, for ever beloved.
We see here, after a feast, the church falleth asleep. See it in Abraham, sometimes ’strong in faith,’ sometimes fearful. David sometimes standing, sometimes falling, sometimes recovering himself and standing faster, sometimes triumphing, ’The Lord is the light of my countenance, whom shall I fear?’ Psalms 27:1; sometimes, again, ’I shall one day fall by the hands of Saul,’ 1 Samuel 27:1. In the very same psalm he begins with ’Rebuke me not in thy wrath,’ and ends with ’Away, ye wicked,’ Psalms 6:1; Psalms 6:10. Elias, though zealous, yet after flies for his life, 1 Kings 19. So Job, Peter, sometimes resolute and valiant, other while sinks for fear, Job 6; Matthew 14:30. The reason. The ground is, by reason of variety of outward occurrences working upon the diversity of principles in us, nature and grace. Both nature and grace are always active in us in some degree. When corruption gets strength, then we find a sick state creeping upon us, and lose our former frame. It is with the soul as with the body. In a certain period of time it gathereth ill humours, which break out into aguish distempers at length; so the relies of a spiritual disease not carried away, will ripen and gather to a head. This should teach us, when we are well, to study to keep an even course, and to watch over the first stirrings, and likewise, if we see some unevenness in our ways, not to censure ourselves or others over harshly. Exact evenness is to be striven after here, but to be enjoyed in another world.
Obs. 2. We see, by comparing the state of the church here with the state of it in the third chapter, that where corruption is not thoroughly purged, and a careful watch kept over the soul, thereafter* a recovery, will follow a more dangerous distemper. Corruption will not only strive for life, but for rule. If there had been a thorough reformation in the church after her former trouble, and a thorough closing with Christ, she would not thus have fallen into a more dangerous condition. We see David, in his later times, falls to ’numbering of the people,’ 2 Samuel 24:1, seq.; and Samson, after he had done great services for the church, at length shamefully betrays his strength; and he that had ruled others submits to be ruled by a base strumpet, Jude 1:16. Jonah, for not thorough repenting for his running from his calling, falls after to quarrel with God himself, Jonah 4:9. It is the best, therefore, to deal thoroughly with our hearts, else flesh unsubdued will owe us a greater shame, and we shall dishonour our own beginnings. Yet this is the comfort, that this will occasion deeper humility and hatred of sin in those that are God’s, and a faster cleaving to God than ever before, as we see in the church here. Afterwards grace will have the better at last.
Obs. 3. We may observe the ingenuity of the church in laying open her own state. It is the disposition of God’s people to be ingenuous in opening their state to God, as in David, Nehemiah, Ezra, &c. The reason is thus:—
(1.) By a free and full confession we give God the honour of his wisdom in knowing of our own condition, secret and open. We give him the honour of mercy that will not take advantage against us, the honour of power and authority over us, if he should shew his strength against us. We yield unto him the glory of all his chief prerogatives; whereupon Joshua moveth Achan to a free confession, ’My son, give glory to God,’ Joshua 7:19.
(2.) We shame Satan, who first takes away shame of sinning, and then takes away shame for sin. He tempts us not to be ashamed to do that we are ashamed to confess, so we, by silence, keep Satan’s counsel against our own souls. If we accuse ourselves, we put him out of office who is the ’accuser of the brethren,’ Revelation 12:10.
(3.) We prevent, likewise, malicious imputations from the world. Austin answered roundly and well when he was upbraided with the sins of his former age: ’What thou,’ saith he, ’findest fault with, I have condemned in myself before.’ Quœ tu reprehendis, ego damnavi.
(4.) This ingenuous dealing easeth the soul, giving vent to the grief of it. Whiles the arrow’s head sticks in the wound, it will not heal. Sin unconfessed is like a broken piece of rusty iron in the body, ferrum in vulnere. It must be gotten out, else it will, by rankling and festering, cause more danger. It is like poison in the stomach, if it be not presently cast up it will infect the whole body. Is it not better to take shame to ourselves now, than to be shamed hereafter before angels, devils, and men? How careful is God of us, by this private way to prevent future shame!
(5.) This faithful dealing with ourselves is oft a means of present delivery out of any trouble. David, in Psalms 32:4, was in a great distemper both of body and spirit; his moisture was turned into the drought of summer. It is thought he made this psalm between the time of his sin and his pardon. What course taketh he? ’I said,’ saith he, that is, ’I resolved to confess my sin, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin,’ ver. 5. Upon a free and full, a faithful and ingenuous confession, without all guile of spirit, he found ease presently, both in soul and body. The cause of God’s severe dealing with us is, that we should deal severely with ourselves. The best trial of religion in us is by those actions whereby we reflect on ourselves by judging and condemning of ourselves, for this argueth a spirit without guile. Sin and shifting* came into the world together. The subtilty of proud nature, especially in eminency, is such that sins may pass for virtues, because sin and Satan are alike in this, they cannot endure to appear in their own colour and habit, and so those that oppose it shall be accounted opposers of good. This guile of spirit hath no blessedness belonging to it. Take heed of it.
Obs. 4. Mark, further, one sign of a gracious soul, to be abased for lesser defects, sleepiness, and indisposition to good. One would think drowsiness were no such great matter. Oh, but the church had such sweet acquaintance with Christ, that every little indisposition that hindered any degree of communion was grievous to her! You shall have a Judas, a Saul, an enormous offender confess great falls that gripe his conscience. All shall be cast up, that the conscience, being disburdened, may feel a little ease; but how few have you humbled for dulness of spirit, want of love, of zeal, and cheerfulness in duty? This, accompanied with strife against it, argues a good spirit indeed. A carnal man is not more humbled for gross sins than a gracious Christian for wants in good actions, when it is not with him as it hath been, and as he would. The reason is, where there is a clear and heavenly light, there lesser motes are discernible; and spiritual life is sensible of any obstruction and hindrance. This goeth in the world for unnecessary nicety (c). The world straineth not at these gnats. But those upon whose hearts the sun of righteousness hath shined have both a clear sight and a tender heart. To come to the words, ’I sleep.’ The church fetcheth a comparison from the body to express the state of the soul. It is one use of our body to help us in spiritual expressions. Whilst the soul dwelleth in the body, it dependeth much in the conceiving of things upon the phantasy,* and the phantasy upon the senses. We come to conceive of spiritual sleep by sleep of the body, which we are all well enough acquainted with. The church, as she consists of a double principle, flesh and spirit mingled together in all parts, as darkness and light in the twilight and dawning of the day; so here she expresseth her condition in regard of either part. So far as she was carnal, she slept; so far as she was spiritual, she was awake. In this mixed condition the flesh for the present prevailed, yet so as the spirit had its working; ’she slept, but her heart waked.’ The words contain a confession, ’I sleep;’ and a correction, ’but my heart waketh.’ She hath a double aspect, one to the ill, ’her sleeping;’ the other to the good, ’the heart in some degree awaked.’ The Spirit of God is a discerning Spirit, it discovereth what is flesh and what is spirit. So that we must not conceive this sleep to be that dead sleep all men are in by nature, nor to be that judicial sleep, that spirit of slumber, which is a further degree of that natural sleep to which God giveth up some, as a seal of their desperate condition; but here is meant that sleep that ariseth out of the remainder of corruption unsubdued, and now, is here in the church, prevailing over the better part. Flesh and spirit have both their intercourse in us, as Moses and Amalek had. Unless we stand upon our guard, the flesh will get the upper ground, as we see here. The best are no further safe than they are watchful. For the clear understanding of this, observe some correspondency in the resemblance; wherein too much curiosity is loathsome, and postill-like (d); and calleth the mind too much from the kernel to the shell.
Bodily and spiritual sleep resemble each other in the causes, in the effects, and in the dangerous issue.
1. The sleep of the body cometh from the obstruction and binding up of the senses by vapours which arise out of the stomach. So there be spiritual fumes of worldly cares and desires that obstruct the senses of the soul. Therefore our blessed Saviour counts it a spiritual surfeiting, when the soul is oppressed with care about the world, Luke 21:34. Lusts bring the soul a-bed. Prosperity is a strong vapour. If it overcome not the brain, yet it weakeneth it, as strong waters do. See it in Solomon himself.
2. The disciples fell asleep in the garden when they were oppressed with heaviness and sorrow, Luke 22:45, which passions will have the like effect upon the soul.
3. Sleep ariseth oft from weariness and want of spirits. So there is a spiritual weariness arising from discouragements and too much expense of the strength of the soul upon other matters; upon impertinencies that concern not the best state of the soul.
4. Some are brought asleep by music. So many, by flattering enticements and insinuations of others, joining with their own flattering, deceitful heart, are cast into a spiritual sleep.
5. Sleep ariseth from want of exercise. When there is a cessation from spiritual exercise, about the proper object of it, there followeth a spiritual sleep. Exercise keeps waking.
6. Sleep ariseth oft from cold diseases, as lethargies; from cold, gross humours. Cold, earthly, gross affections about the things here below, benumb the soul, and bring it into a heavy, drowsy, sleepy temper.
7. Sometimes sleep is caused by some kind of poison, especially the poison of asps, which kills in sleeping. And do not sinful delights do the like to the soul? Insensible evils are the most dangerous evils.
8. Otherwhile slothful, yawning company dispose to sleep. There is no more ordinary cause of spiritual sleep, than conversing with spiritual sluggards, that count it a high point of wisdom not to be forward in religion. These formal, proud persons, as they are cold themselves, so they labour to cast water upon the heat of others. Nay, those that are otherwise good, if declining in their first love, will incline others to a fellowship in the same secure temper, lest they should be upbraided by the vigilancy of others. They are like in the effects.
1. Men disposed to be asleep desire to be alone. Those likewise that are disposed to take a spiritual nap, will avoid company, especially of such as would awake them. They will hardly endure rousing means.
2. Men will draw the curtains and shut out light, when they mean to compose themselves to rest. So when men favour themselves in some ways not allowable, they are afraid to be disquieted by the light. Light both discovereth, awaketh, and stirs up to working. And men when they are loth to do what they know, are loth to know what they should do. ’They that sleep, sleep in the night,’ 1 Thessalonians 5:7. Asa, otherwise a good king, shut up the prophet in prison for doing his duty, 2 Chronicles 16:10. Much of the anger that men bear against the word laid open to them, is because it will not suffer them to sleep quietly in their sins. Such as will suffer them to live quietly in their sins,—they are quiet and honest men. There cannot be a worse sign than when men will not endure wholesome words. It is a sign they are in an ill league with that they should above all wage war against.
3. In sleep, phantasy ruleth, and dreams in phantasy. Men in sleep dream of false good, and forget true danger.
Many cherish golden dreams; dream of meat, and when they awake, their soul is empty, Isaiah 29:8. Vain hopes are the dreams of waking men, as vain dreams are all the waking of sleeping and carnal men, whose life is but a dream. In sleep, there is no exercise of senses or motion. As then, men are not sensible of good or ill, they move neither to good or ill. Motion followeth sensibleness. What good we are not sensible of, we move not unto. Hence sleep is of kin to death, for the time, depriving us of the use of all senses; and a secure professor in appearance differs little from a dead professor. Both of them are unactive in good; and what they do, they do it without delight, in an uncomely and unacceptable manner, unbeseeming the state of a Christian. It is all one to have no senses, and not to use them. We may say of men in this sleepy temper, as the Scripture speaks of idols, ’they have eyes and see not, ears and hear not,’ &c., Psalms 115:5. So likewise they are alike in danger. In sleep, the preciousest thing men carry about them is taken away without resistance; and they are ready to let loose what they held fast before, were it never so rich a jewel. And it is so in spiritual sleepiness. Men suffer the profession of the truth to be wrung from them, without much withstanding; and with letting fall their watch, let fall likewise, if not their grace, yet the exercise of their graces, and are in danger to be robbed of all.
There is no danger but a man in sleep is fair for, and exposed unto. Sisera was slain asleep, Judges 5:26, and Ishbosheth at noonday, 2 Samuel 4:7; and there is no temptation, no sin, no judgment, but a secure, drowsy Christian is open for; which is the ground of so oft enforcing watchfulness by the Spirit of God in the Scriptures. As spiritual deadness of spirit is a cause of other sin, so likewise it is a punishment of them. God poureth a spirit of ’dead sleep upon men, and closeth up their eyes,’ Isaiah 29:10, till some heavy judgment falleth upon them; and how many carnal men never awake in this world, till they awake in hell! No wonder therefore that Satan labours to cast men into a dead sleep all that he can; and deludes them, with dreams of a false good, that their estate is good, and like so to continue; that to-morrow shall be as to-day; that no danger is near, though God’s wrath hangeth over their head, ready to be revealed from heaven.
Thus we see how the resemblance holds. Some apply this to Constantine’s time, about three hundred years after Christ, when the church upon peace and plenty grew secure, and suffered ecclesiastical abuses to creep in. Religion begat plenty, and the daughter devoured the mother. This made the writers of the ecclesiastical stories, to question whether the church hath more hurt by open persecution or peace, when one Christian undermineth and rageth against another.* Human inventions were so multiplied, that not long after, in Augustine’s time, he complained that the condition of the Jews was more tolerable than theirs;† for though the Jews were under burdens, yet they were such as were imposed by God himself, and not human presumptions. But Gerson many hundred years after increaseth his complaint. If, O Augustine, thou saidst thus in thy time, what wouldst thou have said if thou hadst lived now, when men, as a toy§ taketh them in the head, will multiply burdens? And he was not afraid to say, that the number of human Constitutions was such, that if they were observed in rigour, the greatest part of the church would be damned. Thus, whilst the husbandmen slept, the envious man Satan slept not, but sew his tares. Thus popery grew up by degrees, till it overspread the church, whilst the watchmen that should have kept others awake, fell asleep themselves. And thus we answer the papists, when they quarrel with us about the beginning of their errors. They ask of us, when such and such an heresy began? We answer, that those that should have observed them, were asleep. Popery is a mystery that crept into the church by degrees, under glorious pretences.¶ Their errors had modest beginnings. Worshipping of images arose from reserving the pictures of friends, and after that were brought into the church. Invocation of saints arose from some of the fathers’ figurative turning of their speech to some that were dead. Transubstantiation had rise from some transcendent, unwary phrases of the fathers. The papacy itself, from some titles of the Romish Church and bishop. Nothing in popery so gross, but had some small beginnings, which being neglected by those that should have watched over the church, grew at length unsufferable. No wonder if the papists be cast into a dead sleep; they have drunk too deep of the whore’s cup. They that worship images are, as the Scripture saith, ’like unto them, they have eyes and see not,’ &c., Psalms 115:5. They cannot discern of their errors, though they be never so ridiculous and senseless, as prayer in an unknown tongue, and such like. And upon this state of the church let us add this caution. A Caution. If the best men be so prone to sleep, then we cannot safely at all times build upon their judgment. The fathers of the church were not always awake. There be few of them, but in some things we may appeal from themselves sleeping, to themselves waking. The best, having some darkness left in their understandings, and some lusts unsubdued in their affections, may write and speak sometimes out of the worst part and principle that is in them, as well as out of the best, when they keep not close to the rule. When our adversaries press us with the authority of fathers, we appeal to them, where they speak advisedly and of purpose.* When they were not awaked by heretics, they speak sometimes unworthily, and give advantages to heretics that followed. It is the manner of our adversaries to make the unwarrantable practice of the ancienter time a rule of their practice, and the doubtful opinions of the ancients their own grand tenets; wherein in both they deal unsafely for themselves, and injuriously towards us, when we upon grounds in some things dissent; which liberty (oft when they should not) they will take to themselves. But howsoever this sleepy condition agreeth to the former times of the church, yet I wish there were not cause to apply it to ourselves, in this latter age of the church, wherein many of the ancient heresies are revived; and besides, the evils that accompany long peace take hold of us, and will prevail too far, if we do not rouse up ourselves. The church is in the commonwealth, and usually they flourish and fall together. When there is a sleep of the church, for the most part there is a sleep of the state. A civil sleep is, when in grounds of danger there is no apprehension of danger; and this sleep is a punishment of spiritual sleep, when with Ephraim a state hath ’grey hairs, and knoweth it not,’ Hosea 7:9; when judgments abroad will not awake men. When noise and pinching will not awake, the sleep must needs be deep. The whole world almost is in combustion round about us; and many countries thought themselves as safe, a little before their troubles, as we now think ourselves. If fear of outward dangers will not awake, then spiritual dangers will not, as being more secret, and not obvious to sense. No wonder, then, if few will believe our report of the fearful condition of wicked men in the world to come. A man may be startled and awaked with outward dangers that is spiritually sottish, but he that is careless of outward danger, will be regardless of what we say in spiritual dangers. The fear of danger may be the greater, when, as it was amongst the Jews, those that should be watchful themselves, and awake others, instead of awaking, rock the cradle, and cry ’Peace, peace, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord,’ Jeremiah 7:4. Yet we must never forget to be mindful, with thankfulness, for peace and the gospel of peace, which yet by God’s blessing we enjoy, always suspecting the readiness of nature to grow secure under the abundance of favours, and so to bless ourselves in that condition.
Signs of a sleepy state. 1. Now we know that sleep is creeping upon us, by comparing our present condition with our former, when we were in a more wakeful frame, when the graces of God’s Spirit were in exercise in us. If we differ from that we were, then all is not well.
2. Compare ourselves again with that state and frame that a Christian should be in; for sometimes a Christian goes under an uncomfortable condition all the days of his life, so that he is not fit to make himself his pattern. The true rule is, that description that is in the word, of a waking and living Christian. What should a man be, take him at the best, the varying from that is a sleepy estate. As, for instance, a Christian should walk ’in the comfort of the Holy Ghost,’ Acts 9:31, live and walk by faith; he should depend upon God, and resist temptations. Faith should work by love, and love to ourselves should move us to honour ourselves as members of Christ, to disdain to defile ourselves by sin. Our hope, if it be waking, will purge us, and make us suitable to the condition we hope for in heaven, and the company we hope to have fellowship with there.
3. Again, look to the examples of others that are more gracious. I have as many encouragements to be thankful to God, and fruitful. They enjoy no more means than I; and yet they abound in assurance, are comfortable in all conditions. I am down in a little trouble, subject to passion, to barrenness, and distrust, as if there were no promises of God made to sowing in righteousness. Thus a man may discern he is asleep, by comparing himself with others that are better than himself.
4. Again, it is evident that we are growing on to a sleepy condition by this, when we find a backwardness to spiritual duties, as to prayer, thanksgiving, and spiritual conference. It should be the joy of a Christian, as it is his prerogative, to come into the presence of Christ, and to be enabled to do that, that is above himself. When what is spiritual in a duty will not down with us, it is a sign our souls are in a sleepy temper. There is not a proportion between the soul and the business in heavenly duties. Whom do we speak to but God? whom do we hear speak in the word but God? what should be the temper of those that speak to God, and hear him speak to them? It should be regardful, reverent, observant. Those that are watchful to the eye of a prince, what observance they shew, when they are to receive anything from him or to put up any request to him. ’Offer this to thy king,’ saith the Lord by Malachi, Malachi 1:8. When a man comes drowsily to God, to sacrifice, to hear, to pray, &c., offer this carriage to man; will he take it at thy hands? Oh the mercy of our patient God, that will endure such services as we most frequently perform! By this indisposedness to duty more or less, may we discover our sleepiness.
5. When the soul begins to admire outward excellencies; when it awakes much to profits, pleasures, and honours; when men admire great men, rich men, great places. The strength and fat of the soul are consumed by feeding on these things; so that when it comes to spiritual things it must needs be faint and drowsy. By these and the like signs, let us labour to search the state of our souls.
Motives against sleepiness. 1. And to stir us up the more, consider the danger of a secure, sleepy estate. There is no sin but a man is exposed unto in a secure estate. Therefore the devil labours all he can to cast men into this temper; which he must do before he can make him fall into any gross sin. When he is asleep, he is in a fit frame for any ill action; he is in a temper fit for the devil to work upon; to bring into any dream or error; to inflame the fancies and conceits with outward excellencies. The devil hath a faculty this way, to make outward things great that are nothing worth, and to make such sins little as, if we were awake, would affright us. He works strongest upon the fancy, when the soul is sleepy or a little drowsy.
There is no man that comes to gross sin suddenly. But he falls by little and little; first to slumber, and from slumber to sleep, and from sleep to security; and so from one degree to another. It is the inlet to all sins, and the beginning of all danger. Therefore the Lord takes a contrary course with his. When he would preserve a state or person, he plants in them first a spirit of faith, to believe that there is such a danger, or such a good to be apprehended, upon watching and going on in a course befitting that condition; and then faith, if it be a matter of threatening, stirs up fear, which waketh up care and diligence. This is God’s method, when he intends the preservation of any.
2. A man in his sleep is fit to lose all. A sleepy hand lets anything go with ease. A man hath grace and comfort; he lets it go in his spiritual sleepiness,—grace in a great measure, and the sense and comfort of it altogether. A Christian hath always the divine nature in him, that works in some degree; yet notwithstanding in regard of his present temper and feeling, he may be in such a case, that he shall differ nothing from a reprobate, nay, he may come to feel more than any ordinary wicked man feels whiles he lives in the world, as divers good Christians do. And all this, through their carelessness,—that they suffer themselves to be robbed of first beginnings, by yielding to delights, company, and contentments. Feeding their conceits with carnal excellencies, so favouring corruptions, and flattering that that is naught in them, they lose the comfort of all that is good. Who would do this for the gaining of a little broken sleep; I say broken sleep, for the better a man is, the more unquietly shall he sleep in such a state. He shall feel startlings and frights in the midst of his carnal delights if he belong to God.
3. Besides, God meets them with some crosses in this world, that they shall gain nothing by it. There is none of God’s children that ever gained by yielding to any corruption, or drowsiness, though God saved their souls. It is always true, a secure state is a sure forerunner of some great cross, or of some great sin. God cannot endure such a temper of soul; lifeless and unfeeling performances and sacrifices, to him that hath given us such encouragements. It must needs be distasteful to God, when we go drowsily and heavily about his work. ’Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently,’ Jeremiah 48:10. If it were to sheath his sword in the bowels of his enemy, to which man is exceedingly prone, yet if it be not done with diligence and an eye to God, a man is cursed in it.
4. And it is an odious temper to God. For doth not he deserve cheerful service at our hands? hath he been a ’wilderness’ to us? doth he not deserve the marrow of our souls? doth not his greatness require it at our hands, that our senses be all waking? and doth not his mercy deserve, that our love should take all care, to serve him that is so gracious and good to us? Is it not the fruit of our redemption to serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives? Luke 1:14.
5. It is a state not only odious to God, but irksome to our own spirits. The conscience is never fully at peace in a drowsy state or in drowsy performances.
Likewise it is not graceful to others. It breeds not love in them to good things, but dislike. Carnal men, let them see a Christian not carry himself waking, as he should, though they be a thousand times worse themselves, yet notwithstanding they think it should not be so. Such a course doth not suit with so much knowledge and so much grace.
Let a man consider, wherefore God hath given the powers of the soul and the graces of the Spirit. Are they not given for exercise, and to be employed about their proper objects? A man is not a man, a Christian is not a Christian, when he is not waking. He so far degenerates from himself, as he yields unto any unbeseeming carriage. Wherefore hath God given us understanding, but to conceive the best things? Wherefore have we judgment, but to judge aright between the things of heaven and earth? Wherefore have we love planted in us, but to set it on lovely objects? Wherefore faith, but to trust God over all? Wherefore hatred, but to fly ill? Wherefore have we affections, but for spiritual things? When therefore our affections are dull, and lose their edge to these things, being quick only to earthly things, what a temper is this! How doth a man answer his creation, the state of a new creature! Wherefore are all graces planted in the soul, as faith and love, and hope and patience, but to be in exercise, and waking? To have these, and to let them sleep and lie unexercised, so far a Christian forgets himself, and is not himself. A Christian as a Christian, that is, in his right temper, should be in the act and exercise of what is good in him, upon all occasions; as we say of God, he is a pure act, because he is always in working. The Spirit of God is a pure act, in whom is no suffering but all action, about that that is fit for so glorious a nature. So it is with the spirit of a man, that hath the Spirit of God. He is in act, in exercise, in operation, as the Spirit is more or less in him. So he is more or less in operation, more or less fruitful. What a world of good might Christians do, if they were in a right temper! What a deal of ill might they escape and avoid that they lie in, if they would rouse up their souls to be as Christians should be, and as their soul and conscience tells them they ought and might be, did they rightly improve the means they have!