292 Of COMMUNIOiT with They give no reft to my foul. If I find not my felf on thy heart and arm, I am as one that lies down in a bed of coals. This alto argues an holy greedinefs of delight. 3.) She further manifefts this by her folicitoufnefs, trouble, and per- plexity, in his lofs and withdrawing. Men bewail the lofs of that whofe whole enjoyment they delight in. We eafily hear the abfence of that, whofe pretence is not delightful. This flare of the fpoufe is difcovered, chap. iii. I, 2, 3. By (a) night on may bed I fought him whom my foul loved, Ifought him but Ifound him not. Iwill rife now and go about the city in the fireeta and in the broad-ways, Iwill feek him whom my foul loveth, I (b) fought him but I foundhim not. The watchmen that go about the city found me, to whom I faid, Saw you him totem my foul loveth? It is night now with the foul, a time of darknefs and trouble, or oflktion. When ever Chrift is abfent it is night with a believer. He is the (e) fun ; if he go down upon them, if his beams be eclipfed, if in his light, they fee no light, it is all darknefs with them. Here whether the coming of the night of any trouble on her, made her difcover Chrift's 'abfence, or the abfence of Chrift made it night with her, is not expreffed., I rather think the latter; becaufe fetting that afide, all things teem to be well with her. The abfence of Chrift will indeed make it night, dark as darknefs it felf in the midit of all other glowing confolations. But is the fpoufe con tented with this difpenfation? She is upon her bed; that is, of cafe; the bed indeed fometimes lignifies tribulation, Rev. ii. 22. but in this book every where reft and contentment, here is not the heaft intimation of any tribulation but whatis in the want of Chrift; but in the greateft peace and op- portunity of cafe and reft, a believer finis none in the abfence of Chrift ; though he be on his bed; having nothing to difquiet him, he ruffs not, if Chrift his reft he not there. he fought him Peeking of Chrift by night, on the bed, that is, alone in an immediate inqueft, and in the dark bath two parts, fearching of our own fouls for the taufe of his abfence; and fearching the promifes for his prefence. (I.) The foul finding not Chrift prefent in his wonted manner, warm- ing, cheri(hing, reviving it with love, nigh to it, fupping with it, always filling its thoughts with himfelf, dropping myrrh and fweet talks of love into it, but on the contrary that other thoughts croad in, and perplex the heart, and Chrift is not nigh when inquired after; it prefently inquires in- to the caufe of all this (d) calls it felf to an account, what it Bath done, how it bath behaved its felf that it is not with it, as at other times ; that Chrift hach withdrawn himfelf, and is not nigh to it in the wonted man- ner. Here it accomplifheth a diligent fearch. It confiders the love, ten- drenefS, and kiudnefs of the Lord Jefus; what delight he takes in abiding with his faints, to that his departure is not without caufe and provoca- tion. How, faith it, have I demeaned my felf, that I have loft my be- loved? Where have I been wandring after other loyers ? And when the anifearriage is found out, it abounds in revenge and Indignation. (z.) Having driven this to fame iffue, the foul- applïeth it felf to the promifes of the covenant, wherein Chrift is molt gracioufly exhibited un- to it, confiders one, ponders another, to find a tafle of him. It confiders dili- gently if it can fee the delightful countenance and favour of Chrift in them, or no, but now if, as it often falls out, the foul finds nothing but (a) Ifa. 1. ro. (5) Elegan,o, perighrafi urimr loco uominis proprii, ur vim amoris fui exprima Mere. IRa reperitio ail nfnm indica,, & (tedium quo cum quiumba,, & macroremquo angeaaru,, quoit occurrere maso pollen, idem. (c) Mal. P. 3. (d) u Co,. xiii. 5. the
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