Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ

AS unto the first of these, tho what he doth is supposed an act of Sovereign unaccountable Wisdom, yet there are many holy ends of it, and consequently reasons for it. I shall mention one only. He doth it to stir us up in an eminent manner unto a diligent search and enquiry after him. Woeful sloth and negligence are apt to prevail in us, in our Meditations on heavenly things. Tho our hearts wake (as the Spouse speaks, Cant. 5. 2.) in a valuation of Christ, his Love, and his Grace, yet we sleep, as unto the due exercise of Faith and Love towards him. Who is it that can justify himself herein? That can say, My heart is pure, I am clean from this sin? Yea it is so far otherwise with many of us, that he is for ever to be admired in his patience, that on the account of our unkindness and woeful negligence herein, he hath not only withdrawn himself at seasons, but that he hath not utterly departed from us. Now he knows that those with whom he hath been graciously present, who have had views of his Glory, although they have not valued the mercy and privilege of it, as they ought, yet can they not bear a sense of his absence, and his hiding himself from them. By this therefore will he awake them unto a diligent enquiry after him. Upon the discovery of his absence and such a distance of his Glory from them as their Faith cannot reach unto it, they become like the Doves of the Valleys all of them mourning every one for his iniquity, and do stir up themselves to seek him early and with diligence, see Hos. 5. 5. So wherever the Spouse intimates this withdrawing of Christ from her, she immediately gives an account of Her restless diligence and endeavours in her enquiries after him, until she have found him, Chap. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Chap. 5. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. And in these enquiries there is such ⟨p. 165⟩an exercise of Faith and Love, tho it may be acting themselves mostly in sighs and groans, as is acceptable and well pleasing to him.

AS unto the first of these, tho what he doth is supposed an act of Sovereign unaccountable Wisdom, yet there are many holy ends of it, and consequently reasons for it. I shall mention one only. He doth it to stir us up in an eminent manner unto a diligent search and enquiry after him. Woful sloth and negligence are apt to prevail in us, in our Meditations on heavenly things. Tho our hearts wake (as the Spouse speaks,