296 FORGIVENESS OF SIN. questioning of them they think is not their sin, but their duty. But pretend what we will, this is speaking against God, limiting him, and keeping ourselves from steadfastness and comfort. But there may be a jealousy in a gracious heart con- cerning the love of Christ, which is acceptable to him, at least which he is tender towards, that may be mis- taken for this questioning of the promises by unbelief, and so help to keep the soul in darkness. Love is the root; but yet it bears fruit which is bitter, though it be wholesome ; which fills the soul with great perplexities, and makes it cry out for a nearer and more secure ad- mission into the presence of Christ : "Set me," saith the spouse, "as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm, for jealousy is cruel as the grave." I cannot bear this distance from thee, these fears of my being disregarded by thee: " Set me as a seal on thy heart." Now, this spiritual jealousy is the solicitude of the mind of a believer, who has a sincere love for Christ, as to the good will of Christ towards it, arising from a consciousness of its own unworthiness to be beloved, or accepted by him. All causeless jealousy arises from a secret sense and conviction of unworthiness, and a high esteem of him that is the object of it. So it is with this spiritual jealousy; the root of it is love, sin- cere love, that cannot be quenched by waters nor drowned by floods, ver. 7, which nothing can utterly prevail against. This gives the soul high thoughts of the glorious excellences of Christ, fills it with admira- tion of him ; and these are mixed with a due sense of its own baseness, vileness, and unworthiness to be owned by him, or accepted with him. Now, if these
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=