10. THE TENTH SERMON
THE TENTH SERMON
I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone: my soul failed when he spake; I sought him, but could not find him; I called him, but he gave no answer.—Song of Solomon 5:6.
THUS we see that the life of a Christian is trouble upon trouble, as wave upon wave. God will not suffer us to rest in security, but one way or other he will fire us out of our starting-holes, and make us to run after him. How much better were it for us, then, to do our works cheerfully and joyfully, ’so to run as we may obtain,’ 1 Corinthians 9:24, than to be thus hurried up and down, and through our own default, coming into desertions, and there receiving rebukes and blows and delays ere we have peace again, as it fell out with the church in the sequel; for this text is but the beginning of her seeming misery. The watchmen, after this, ’found her, and wounded her,’ &c., verse 7. But heaven is more worth than all, now that her affections are set on fire. From thence she bestirs herself, is resolute to find out her beloved, whom she highly values above all this world. How her affections were stirred by Christ’s putting in his finger at the hole of the door, we have heard. Now follows her action thereupon; for here is rising, opening, seeking, calling, and inquiring after Christ.
Action follows affection. After her bowels are moved, she ariseth and openeth; from whence we may further observe—
Obs. 1. That where truth of affection is, it will discover itself in the outward man, one way or other. If there be any affection of love and piety to God, there will be eyes lift up, knees bended down, and hands stretched forth to heaven. If there be any grief for sin, there will be the face dejected, the eyes looking down, some expression or other. If there be a desire, there will be a making forth to the thing desired; for the outward man is commanded by the inward, which hath a kind of sovereign commanding power over it, and says, Do this, and it doth it; Speak this, and it speaks it. Therefore, those whose courses of life are not gracious, their affections and their hearts are not good; for where the affections are good, the actions will be suitable. ’Her bowels were moved in her,’ and presently she shews the truth of her affection, in that she maketh after him.
1. Her soul failed when he spake.
2. She makes after him.
’My soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him.’—Of Christ’s withdrawing himself, we spake in general before, wherefore we will leave that and proceed.
’My soul failed when he spake.’ That is, her soul failed when she remembered what he had spoke when he stood at the door and said, ’Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is wet with the dew,’ &c. Now, when God’s Spirit had wrought upon her, then she remembered what Christ had said. All those sweet allurements were effectual now unto her, especially when she saw that after those sweet allurements Christ had withdrawn himself; for that is the meaning of these words, ’My soul failed when he spake unto me.’ He did not speak now; but her soul failed after he spake; for so it should be read, that is, after she remembered his speech to her; for now, when she opened, he was not there. Therefore, he could not speak to her.
Obs. 2. The word of Christ, howsoever for the present it be not effectual, yet afterwards it will be in the remembrance of it. To those that are gracious, it will be effectual when the Holy Ghost comes to seal it further upon their hearts. Christ spake many things to his disciples which they forgot; but when afterwards the Holy Ghost the Comforter was come, his office was, ’to bring all things to their remembrance that they had forgotten before,’ John 14:26. The Holy Ghost taught them not new things, but brought former things to their remembrance; for God will make the word effectual at one time or other. Perhaps the word we hear is not effectual for the present; it may afterwards, many years after, when God awakes our consciences. And as this is true of God’s children, the seed now sown in them will not grow up till many years after, so it is true also of those that are not God’s children. They think they shall never hear again of those things they hear. Perhaps they will take order by sensuality, hardening of their hearts, and through God’s judgments withal concurring, that conscience shall not awake in this world. But it shall awake one day; for it is put into the heart to take God’s part, and to witness against us for our sins. It shall have and perform its office hereafter, use it as you will now; and it will preach over those things again that you now hear. You shall hear again of them, but it shall be a barren hearing. Now we may hear fruitfully to do us good, but afterwards we shall call to mind what we have heard, and it shall cut us to the heart. Dives, we know, had Moses and the prophets to instruct him, but he never heeded them in his life, until afterwards to his torment, Luke 16:29. So men never heed what they hear and read; they put off all, and lay their consciences asleep; but God will bring them afterwards to remembrance. But because it is a point especially of comfort to the church;
Labour we all of us to make this use of it, to be diligent and careful to hear and attend upon the ordinances of God; for howsoever that we hear is not effectual for the present, but seems as dead seed cast into the heart, yet God will give it a body after, as the apostle speaks, at one time or other, 1 Corinthians 15:38. And that which we hear now, the Holy Ghost will bring it to our remembrance when we stand in most need of it.
’My soul failed when he spake.’ She was in a spiritual swoon and deliquium* upon his withdrawing, whence the point considerable is, That Christ doth leave his church sometimes, and bring it very low in their own apprehensions, that their hearts fail them, for want of his presence. So it was with David, Psalms 38:2-3; so with Jonah, Jonah 2:2; so with the church, Lamentations 3:1, seq. We see it at large.
Reason. The necessity of our souls and of our estates require this. As sometimes a body may be so corrupt, that it must be brought as low as possible may be, before there will be a spring of new and good blood and spirits, so we may fall into such a state of security, that nothing will bring us to a right temper but extreme purging. And usually God deals thus with strong wits and parts, if they be holy. David and Solomon were men excellently qualified; yet when they tasted of the pleasures and contentments of the world too deep, answerably they had; and so usually others shall have such desertions as will make them smart for their sweetness, as was shewed before. But upon what occasions doth a Christian think especially that God doth leave, forsake, and fail him?
First. This failing and fainting of the soul is sometimes upon an apprehension, as if God and Christ were become enemies, as Job saith, 7:20, and as having set us as a butt to shoot at. But this is not all that a gracious and pure heart sinks for. But also secondly. For the absence of Christ’s love, though it feel no anger. Even as to a loving wife, her husband not looking lovingly upon her as he used to do, is enough to cast her down, and cause her spirits to fail; so for God to look upon the soul, put the case, not with an angry, yet with a countenance withdrawn, it is sufficient to cast it down. For any one that hath dependence upon another, to see their countenance withdrawn, and not to shew their face as before, if there be but a sweet disposition in them, it is enough to daunt and dismay them.
Nay, thirdly. Moreover, when they find not that former assistance in holy duties; when they find that their hearts are shut up and they cannot pray as formerly when they had the Spirit of God more fully; and when they find that they cannot bear afflictions with wonted patience—certainly Christ hath withdrawn himself, say they. This is first done when we hear the word of God, not with that delight and profit as we were wont. When they find how they come near to God in holy communion, and yet feel not that sweet taste and relish in the ordinances of God as they were wont to do, they conclude, certainly God hath hid his face. Whereupon they are cast down, their spirits fail. And do not wonder that it should be so, for it is so in nature. When the sun hides itself many days from the world, it is an uncomfortable time; the spirits of the creatures lower and wither. We see it so in the body, that the animal spirits in the brain, which are the cause of motion and sense, if they be obstructed, there follows an apoplexy and deadness. So it is between Christ and the soul. He is the ’Sun of righteousness,’ Malachi 4:2, by whose beams we are all comforted and cheered, which when they are withheld, then our spirits decay and are discouraged. Summer and winter arise from the presence and absence of the sun. What causeth the spring to be so clothed with all those rich ornaments? The presence of the sun which comes nearer then. So what makes the summer and winter in the soul, but the absence or presence of Christ! What makes some so vigorous beyond others, but the presence of the Spirit! As it is in nature, so it is here. The presence of Christ is the cause of all spiritual life and vigour; who when he withdraws his presence a little the soul fails.
’My soul failed when he spake to me: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called, but he gave me no answer.’
Obs. 1. The church redoubleth her complaint to shew her passion. A large heart hath large expressions. She took it to heart that Christ did not shew himself in mercy. Therefore she never hath done. I sought him but I could not find him, I called but he gave me no answer. Affection makes eloquent and large expressions.
Obs. 2. But mainly observe from this failing of the church, the difference between the true children of God and others. The child of God is cast down when he finds not the presence of God as he was wont; his spirits fail. A carnal man, that never knew what this presence meant, regards it not, can abide the want of it. He finds, indeed, a presence of God in the creature which he thinks not of. There is a sweetness in meat, drink, rest, and a contentment in honour, preferment, and riches; and thus God is present always with him, but other presence he cares not for. Nay, he shuns all other presence of God, labouring to avoid his spiritual presence. For what is the reason that a carnal man shuns the applying of the word and the thinking of it, but because it brings God near to his heart, and makes him present? What is the reason he shuns his own conscience; that he is loath to hear the just and unanswerable accusations that it would charge upon him, but because he cannot abide the presence of God in his conscience? What is the reason he shuns the sight of holier and better men than himself? 1 Kings 17:18. They present God to him, being his image, and call his sins to memory, and upbraid his wicked life. Hence comes that Satanical hatred more than human in carnal, vile men, to those that are better than themselves; because they hate all presence of God, both in the word, ministry, and all God’s holy servants. All such presence of God they hate; whereof one main reason is, because they are malefactors, wicked rebels, and intend to be so. And as a malefactor cannot endure so much as the thought of the judge, so they cannot think of God otherwise, in that course they are in, than of a judge; whereupon they tremble and quake at the very thought of him, and avoid his presence.
You know that great man, Felix, Paul spake to in the Acts, Acts 24:25, when he spake of the judgment to come, and those virtues, as temperance and righteousness, which he was void of, and guilty of the contrary vices; he quaked, and could not endure to hear him speak any longer. Wicked men love not to be arraigned, tormented, accused, and condemned before their time, Mark 5:7. Therefore, whatsoever presents to them their future terrible estate, they cannot abide it. It is an evidence of a man in a cursed condition, thus not to endure the presence of God. But what shall God and Christ say to them at the day of judgment? It was the desire of such men not to have to do with the presence of God here, and it is just with Christ to answer them there as they answer him now; ’Depart, depart, we will have none of thy ways,’ say they, Job 22:17. ’Depart, ye cursed,’ saith he. He doth but answer in their own language, ’Depart, ye cursed, with the devil and his angels,’ Matthew 25:41. But you see the child of God is clean of another temper. He cannot be content to be without the presence of God and of his Spirit, enlightening, quickening, strengthening, and blessing of him in spiritual respects. When he finds not his presence helping him, when he finds Christ his life is absent from him, he is presently discouraged. For ’Christ is our life,’ Colossians 3:4. Now, when a man’s life fails all fails. When, therefore, a man finds his spiritual taste and comfort not as it was before, then Oh, ’the life of my life’ hath withdrawn himself, and so is never quiet till he have recovered his life again, for ’Christ is his life,’ Colossians 3:4. And because there is a presence of God and of Christ in the word and sacraments—a sweet presence, the godly soul, he droops and fails if he be kept from these. He will not excommunicate himself, as many do, that perhaps are asleep when they should be at the ordinances of God. But if he be excommunicated and banished, O how takes he it to heart! ’As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so longeth my soul after thee, O God,’ Psalms 42:1. The whole 84th Psalm is to that purpose, ’O how amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts.’ He finds a presence of God in his word and sacraments, and when he doth not taste a sweet presence of God therein, he droops and sinks. A carnal man never heeds these things, because he finds no sweetness in them; but the godly, finding Christ in them, they droop in the want of them, and cannot live without them. ’Whither shall we go?’ saith Peter to Christ, ’thou hast the words of eternal life,’ John 6:68. I find my soul quickened with thy speaking. So a soul that feels the quickening power of the ordinances, he will never be kept from the means of salvation, but he droops and is never well till he have recovered himself again.
Again, another difference may be observed. Carnal men, when they find the sense of God’s anger, they seek not God’s favour, but think of worse and worse still, and so run from God till they be in hell. But those that are God’s children, when they fail and find the sense of God’s displeasure, they are sensible of it, and give not over seeking to God. They run not further and further from him. The church here, though she found not Christ present with her, yet she seeks him still and never gives over. Whence again we may observe,
3. That although the church be said to fail and not to find Christ, yet he is present then with her. For who enabled her to seek him? To explain this, there is a double presence of Christ.
1. Felt.
2. Not felt.
1. The presence felt, is, when Christ is graciously present and is withal pleased to let us know so much, which is a heaven upon earth. The soul is in paradise then, when she feels, ’the love of God shed abroad in the heart,’ and the favourable countenance of God shining upon her. Then she despiseth the world, the devil, and all, and walks as if she were half in heaven already. For she finds a presence and a manifestation of it, a more glorious state than the world can afford.
2. But, there is a presence of Christ that is secret; when he seems to draw us one way, and to drive us another, that we are both driven and drawn at once: when he seems to put us away, and yet, notwithstanding, draws us. When we find our souls go to Christ, there is a drawing power and presence; but when we find him absent, here is a driving away. As we see here in the church and in the ’woman of Canaan,’ Matthew 15:21, seq. We see what an answer she had from Christ, at first none, and then an uncomfortable, and lastly a most unkind answer. ’We must not give the children’s bread to dogs,’ Matthew 15:27. Christ seemed to drive her away, but, at the same time, he by his Spirit draws her to him, and was thereby secretly present in her heart to increase her faith. When Christ wrestled with Jacob, though he contended with him, yet the same time he gave Jacob power to overcome him, to be Israel, a prevailer over him, Genesis 32:28. So, at the same time, the church seems to fail and faint, yet, notwithstanding, there is a secret, drawing power pulling her to Christ, whereby she never gives over, but seeks and calls still after him.
It is good to observe this kind of Christ’s dealing, because it will keep us that we be not discouraged when we find him absent. If still there be any grace left moving us to that which is good, if we find the Spirit of God moving us to love the word and ordinances, to call upon him by prayer, and to be more instant, certainly we may gather there is a hidden, secret presence here that draws us to these things. Nay more, that the end of this seeming forsaking and strangeness is to draw us nearer and nearer, and at length to draw us into heaven to himself. God’s people are gainers by all their losses, stronger by all their weaknesses, and the better for all their crosses, whatsoever they are. And you shall find that the Spirit of God is more forceible in them after a strangeness, to stir them up more eagerly after Christ than before, as here the church doth: for her eagerness, constancy, and instantness, it groweth as Christ’s withdrawing of himself groweth.
Use 1. Let us therefore learn hence how to judge of ourselves, if we be in a dead, lifeless state, both in regard of comfort and of holy performances, whether we be content to be so. If we be not contented, but make towards Christ more and more, it is a good sign that he hath not forsaken us, that he will come again more gloriously than ever before, as here we shall see after, it was with the church. He seems strange, but it is to draw the church to discover her affection, and to make her ashamed of her former unkindness, and to sit surer and hold faster than she did before. All ends in a most sweet communion.
Use 2. We should labour, therefore, to answer Christ’s dealings in suitable apprehensions of soul, when he is thus present secretly, though he seem, in regard of some comforts and former experience of his love, to withdraw himself. It should teach us to depend upon him, and to believe, though we feel not comfort, yea, against comfort, when we feel signs of displeasure. If he can love and support me, and strengthen my soul, and shew it a presence of that which is fit for me, certainly I should answer thus with, my faith, I will depend upon him, though he kill me, as Job did, Job 13:15. Our souls should never give over seeking of Christ, praying and endeavouring, for there is true love where he seems to forsake and leave. Therefore I ought in these desertions to cleave to him in life and in death.