1I answer, not indeed, but only in apprehension. In desertions a Christian may to his own apprehension find nothing of Christ; and this was the Case of Mary Magdalen: or if Christ desert a soul indeed, and truth (for desertions are sometimes in appearance, and sometimes real) yet never doth he forsake his own both really and totally: The Lord will not wholly forsake his people, 2for his great Name sake; the acts of his love may be withdrawn, but his love is still the same, it is an everlasting love; those acts which are for well-being may be withdrawn,3 but his acts of love that are for being, shall never be removed. No such good things will God withhold from them that walk uprightly. Or Christ may go away for a season,4 but not for ever; For a moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee; in a little wrath have I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer; It was Christ's promise to his Disciples, I will not leave you comfortless, or as Orphans, but I will come again. Though his compassions may be restrained, yet they cannot be extinguished; as the Sun sets to rise again, and as the tender Mother lays down her Child to take it up again, so deals Christ with his, only for the present it ⟨p. 425⟩is a sad thing; O it is a lamentable thing to lose all Christ; though but in our own apprehensions. To hear Mary's pitiful complaints, They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid my Lord, it would make a flint to weep; methinks I hear her cries, O my Lord, What's become of Thee? Time was that my Soul was an enclosed Garden, and the chiefest of Ten Thousands did walk in the shadow of the Trees; but now the Fence is down, my Love is gone, and Sharon is become a desert: Time was that I sate at the Feet of my Lord, and I received daily Oracles from his Mouth, but now he hides himself, and will not come at me; I pray, and he hears not, I hearken after him, but he speaks not, I call, but he answers not. O my Lord, if I had never known thee, I could have lived without thee, but this is my misery, not so much that I am without thee, as that I have lost thee, many are well without thee, because they never enjoyed thee;
1I answer, not indeed, but only in apprehension. In desertions a Christian may to his own apprehension find nothing of Christ; and this was the Case of Mary Magdalen: or if Christ desert a soul indeed, and truth (for desertions are sometimes in appearance, and sometimes real) yet never doth he forsake his own both really and totally: The Lord will not wholly forsake his people, 2for his great Name sake; the acts of his love may be withdrawn, but his love is still the same, it is an everlasting love; those acts which are for well-being may be withdrawn,3 but his acts of love that are for being, shall never be removed. No such good things will God withhold from them that walk uprightly. Or Christ may go away for a season,4 but not for ever; For a moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee; in a little wrath have I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer; It was Christ's promise to his Disciples, I will not leave you comfortless, or as Orphans, but I will come again. Though his compassions may be restrained, yet they cannot be extinguished; as the Sun sets to rise again, and as the tender Mother layes down her Child to take it up again, so deals Christ with his, only for the present it ⟨p. 425⟩is a sad thing; O it is a lamentable thing to lose all Christ; though but in our own apprehensions. To hear Maries pitiful complaints, They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid my Lord, it would make a flint to weep; methinks I hear her cryes, O my Lord, What's become of Thee? Time was that my Soul was an enclosed Garden, and the chiefest of Ten Thousands did walk in the shadow of the Trees; but now the Fence is down, my Love is gone, and Sharon is become a desart: Time was that I sate at the Feet of my Lord, and I received daily Oracles from his Mouth, but now he hides himself, and will not come at me; I pray, and he hears not, I hearken after him, but he speaks not, I call, but he answers not. O my Lord, if I had never known thee, I could have lived without thee, but this is my misery, not so much that I am without thee, as that I have lost thee, many are well without thee, because they never enjoyed thee;
- 1Answ.
- 21 Sam. 12.22.
- 3Jer. 31.3.
- 4Psal. 84.11. Isa. 54.7, 8. John 14.18.
