The beginning of this verse, contains the last step of the Brides carriage, and also her desired success, She went a little further, and but a little, and she finds him whom her soul loveth: Public Ordinances and fellowship with godly men, are very useful and necessary, but not to be rested on; and they who find not the desired outgate by these, would not immediately give over the business as desperate and hopeless; for, there is something even beyond these to be aimed at, a little further must be gone, which is the first thing in the verse: and we conceive it doth import these two, 1. A more immediate going to Christ himself, (as if the Ministers had said) ye must go over and beyond means, to Christ himself, and denying these, lean and rest, and that wholly on him: They go beyond means, that rest not on them, and are denied to them in the use of them, as that man, Matth. 17. 14. that brought his son to the Disciples, to get the devil cast out, and when that did it not, he went not away, but stayed for Christ himself, and told the case to him: Christ can do when means fail, and we would trust him, when they seem to disappoint us: How feckless are the best of Ministers, when himself is not present? ⟨p. 165⟩2. This going a little further, doth not import the doing of any duties she had not done, but a more vigorous and lively manner of going about the•e: There had some heartlessness, unbelief and indisposition stuck to her, in all the former steps and strugglings; now she steps further in, and goes forward in the use of the•e same means; and not speaking to the Minister, when she finds that the moving of his lips cannot assuage her grief, she looks through to the Master, and vigorously addresses her self to the exercise of faith in him, of prayer to him, &c. in a more serious way than she had done before. Obs. 1. Sometimes believers may say too much weight on outward and public means; they may rest too much there, and go no further then these. 2. It's God's goodness, by disappointments in means, to train his people on to a further length of power and li•e in their practice. 3. It may be when a believer hath satisfied himself in going about all external means, and that in the due order, and hath neglected none of them, that there is still somewhat more to do, as to the bettering of his inward frame. 4.
The beginning of this verse, contains the last step of the Brides carriage, and also her desired successe, She went a little further, and but a little, and she finds him whom her soul loveth: Publick Ordinances and fellowship with godly men, are very useful and necessary, but not to be rested on; and they who find not the desired outgate by these, would not immediatly give over the businesse as desperat and hopelesse; for, there is something even beyond these to be aimed at, a little further must be gone, which is the first thing in the verse: and we conceive it doth import these two, 1. A more immediat going to Christ himself, (as if the Ministers had said) ye must go over and beyond means, to Christ himself, and denying these, lean and rest, and that wholly on him: They go beyond means, that rest not on them, and are denyed to them in the use of them, as that man, Matth. 17. 14. that brought his son to the Disciples, to get the devil cast out, and when that did it not, he went not away, but stayed for Christ himself, and told the case to him: Christ can do when means fail, and we would trust him, when they seem to disappoint us: How fecklesse are the best of Ministers, when himself is not present? ⟨p. 165⟩2. This going a little further, doth not import the doing of any duties she had not done, but a more vigorous and lively manner of going about the•e: There had some heartlesnesse, unbelief and indisposition stuck to her, in all the former steps and struglings; now she steps further in, and goes forward in the use of the•e same means; and not speaking to the Minister, when she finds that the moving of his lips cannot asswage her grief, she looks thorow to the Master, and vigorously addresses her self to the exercise of faith in him, of prayer to him, &c. in a more serious way than she had done before. Obs. 1. Sometimes believers may say too much weight on outward and publick means; they may rest too much there, and go no further then these. 2. It's God's goodnesse, by disappointments in means, to train his people on to a further length of power and li•e in their practice. 3. It may be when a believer hath satisfied himself in going about all external means, and that in the due order, and hath neglected none of them, that there is still somewhat more to do, as to the bettering of his inward frame. 4.
