A Golden Chain

Minist. As it is in the strait seas, the water ebbs and flows, so is it in the godly: in them as long as they live in this world according to their own feeling, there is an access & recess of the spirit. Otherwhiles they be troubled with deadness and dullness of heart, as David was, who prayed to the Lord,¹ to quicke• him according to his loving kindness, that he may keep the testimonies of his mouth: And in another place he saith, that Gods promises quickened him. Which could not be, unless he had been troubled with great dullness of heart. Again, sometimes the spirit of God quite withdraweth is self to their feeling: as it was in David.² In the day of my trouble (saith he) I sought the Lord, and my soul refused ⟨p. 673⟩comfort. I did think upon god and was troubled, I prayed and my spirit was full of anguish: Again, Will the Lord absent himself for ever? and will he show no more favour? hath God forgotten to be merciful? &c. ³The Church in the Canticles complaineth of this: In my bed I sought him by night whom my soul loved: I sought him, but I found him not. ⁴And again, My well beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my heart was affectioned towards him: I rose up to open to my well beloved, and my hands did drop down myrrh, my fingers pure myrrh upon the handles of the bar, I opened to my well beloved: but my well beloved was gone and past, mine heart was gone when he did speak; I •ought him, but I could not find him, I called but he answered me not. ⁵Contrariwise, God at some other times sheds abroad his love most abundantly in the hearts of the faithful;⁶ and Christ lieth between the breasts of his Church, as a posy of myrrh giving a strong smell.