Minister. As it is in the strait seas, the ⟨p. 281⟩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 and recess of the spirit. Otherwhiles they be troubled with deadness and dullness of heart, as David was, who prayed1 to the Lord, to quicken 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 could2 not be, unless he had been troubled with great dullness of heart. Again, sometimes the spirit of God quite withdraweth it self to their feeling: as it was in David. In the dai• 3of my trouble (saith he) I sought the Lord, and my soul refused comfort. I did think upon God & 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. The Church in •h• 4Canticles complaineth of this. In my bedd• • sought him by night whom my soul loved: I sought him, but I found him not. And again, my well-beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and […] heart was affectioned towards him: I rose […] pen to my well-beloved, and my hands did […] myrrh, my fingers pour myrrh upon •dles of the bar, I opened to my well-beloved▪ […] my ⟨p. 282⟩well-beloved was gone and past, mine heart was gone when he did speak. I sought him, but I could not find him, I called, but he answered me not. Contrariwise, God at some other times sheds abroad 5his love most abundantly in the hearts of the faithful; and Christ lieth between tho 6breasts of his Church, as a posy of myrrh giving a strong smell.
Minister. As it is in the strait seas, the ⟨p. 281⟩water ebbes and flowes, so is it in the godlie: in them as long as they liue in this world according to their own feeling, there is an accesse and recesse of the spirit. Otherwhiles they bee troubled with deadnes and dulnes of heart, as Dauid was, who praied1 to the Lorde, to quicken him according to his louing kindnes, that he maie keepe the testimonies of his mouth, and in another place he saith, that Gods promises quickened him. Which coulde2 not be, vnlesse he had beene troubled with great dulnes of heart. Againe, sometimes the spirite of God quite withdraweth it self to their feeling: as it was in Dauid. In the dai• 3of my trouble (saith hee) I sought the Lorde, and my soule refused comfort. I did thinke vpon God & was troubled, I praied and my spirite was full of anguish. Againe, will the Lord absent himselfe for euer? and will he shew no more fauour? hath God forgotten to be mercifull? &c. The Church in •h• 4Canticles complaineth of this. In my bedd• • sought him by night whom my soule loued: I sought him, but I found him not. And againe, my welbeloued put in his hand by the hole of the dore, and 〈…〉 heart was affectioned towardes him: I rose 〈…〉 pen to my welbeloued, and my hands did 〈…〉 myrrhe, my fingers powre myrrhe vppon •dles of the bar, I opened to my welbeloued▪ 〈…〉 my ⟨p. 282⟩welbeloued was gone and past, mine heart was gone when hee did speake. I sought him, but I coulde not finde him, I called, but he answered me not. Contrariwise, God at some other times sheds abroad 5
- 1Psal• •8.
- 2Psal•
- 3Psal. 77▪ •3 •. 8.
- 4•a••. 3. 1. […] 5. 4. 5 6.•a••. 3. 1. 〈…〉 5. 4. 5 6.
- 5Rom. 5.
- 6Cant. 1. 13.
