This is a sad posture, yet she gives not over, notwithstanding of this or any following disappointments, till she obtain the holy design she drives: Where faith and love are exercised together, for attaining Christ, nothing will scar nor discourage the soul in it's pursuit of him. Her carriage follows in four steps (whereby she endeavours to recover him) with the success that she found in each of them. 1. She gives private diligence. 2. She applies her self to public Ordinances, vers. 7. When that also fails, she, 3. betakes her self to the exercise of mutual fellowship with the daughters of Jerusalem, and seeks their help, vers. 8. and at last rests on the exercise of faith in him, Chap. 6. 3. Her secret painfulness, with the fruit thereof, is set down in two steps, in the rest of this verse, 1. I sought him, that is, painfully used all means to meet with him, as one searcheth earnestly for what he wants; so the word is taken, Prov. 15. 14. It shows her seriousness as to the end, and also her holy solicitude in the manner of pursuing it: But (saith she) I found him not, he was now obtained, but she continueth still under the want of the sensible manifestations of his presence. Again, the 2. is, I called him, that is, prayed to him, but (saith she) he gave me no answer, that is, I had no sensible ease, and return of prayer; though the prayer was not altogether unheard; for, her continuing to seek after him, shows that she was answered with strength in her soul, Psal. 138. 3. There was sustaining-grace even then, though there were not the soul-satisfying and comforting enlargements, or sensible embracements of Christ, and his warm-speaking of peace to her heart, which she aimed at; and the greatness of her bensil after these, makes her think that she had received no answer at all. It's in sum, as if a wife, by search and running to and fro, did seek her husband, and when that succeeds not, she calls him by his name: So did she leave no mean unessayed, but did not obtain what she sought. Which shows, 1. That God often blesseth want of sense to a believer, to be a spur to much diligence. 2. When desertions are most sensible, then ought the believer to be most diligent in the use of all ⟨p. 283⟩means, especially of prayer, for an outgate. 3. There may be much life in duty, even then when there is little sense and satisfaction as to the event;
This is a sad posture, yet she gives not over, notwithstanding of this or any following disappointments, till she obtain the holy design she drives: Where faith and love are exercised together, for attaining Christ, nothing will scar nor discourage the soul in it's pursuit of him. Her carriage follows in four steps (whereby she endeavours to recover him) with the successe that she found in each of them. 1. She gives private diligence. 2. She applyes her self to publick Ordinances, vers. 7. When that also fails, she, 3. betakes her self to the exercise of mutual fellowship with the daughters of Ierusalem, and seeks their help, vers. 8. and at last rests on the exercise of faith in him, Chap. 6. 3. Her secret painfulnesse, with the fruit thereof, is set down in two steps, in the rest of this verse, 1. I sought him, that is, painfully used all means to meet with him, as one searcheth earnestly for what he wants; so the word is taken, Prov. 15. 14. It shews her seriousnesse as to the end, and also her holy solicitude in the manner of pursuing it: But (saith she) I found him not, he was now obtained, but she continueth still under the want of the sensible manifestations of his presence. Again, the 2. is, I called him, that is, prayed to him, but (saith she) he gave me no answer, that is, I had no sensible ease, and return of prayer; though the prayer was not altogether unheard; for, her continuing to seek after him, shews that she was answered with strength in her soul, Psal. 138. 3. There was sustaining-grace even then, though there were not the soul-satisfying and comforting inlargements, or sensible embracements of Christ, and his warm-speaking of peace to her heart, which she aimed at; and the greatnesse of her bensil after these, makes her think that she had received no answer at all. It's in sum, as if a wife, by search and running to and fro, did seek her husband, and when that succeeds not, she calls him by his name: So did she leave no mean unessayed, but did not obtain what she sought. Which shews, 1. That God often blesseth want of sense to a believer, to be a spur to much diligence. 2. When desertions are most sensible, then ought the believer to be most diligent in the use of all ⟨p. 283⟩means, especially of prayer, for an outgate. 3. There may be much life in duty, even then when there is little sense and satisfaction as to the event;
