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Show . · An abfint chr[ft Jel , ana' (trtililey of fpi;it in his Servfte, whent the generality cif a· l=hurcl) grow lii4rtl.ji;'i.nd <!e<Jd, and coJd., and flat, and they' have 11o life in their Services, CH!ifi quickly grows weary of them and is 1\ined up and awaked : But fo much aHo fo" the third Brallj;h. I 'l. \;\ . Cant. 2. 8. 'rhr Voice ,ofmy.Bekved ! Behold.' he cometh leaping upon the Morw .taini, skjpp,ing,t~pm theBiUt, Yciu 'may und~ttla~d by the tlile, that· it is· the Spoufe, the Cht~rcb •fG•d; and the particular believing·Sonl which fpeak· erh the words of this l'ext. Chrifi is her corclate, k is he of whom,lhe faith, The voice of my Brloved, &c. It · is !he that fpeak• eth, an~ it is to Chrilllhe fpeaketh. . hr her fpeech we have two thi~lis tp be cpnfidered'i r. The matter of it. 2• The form of it. "As to til'e matter ofit h,ere are two things:. r. ·Her •ck,.no,..ktlgmmt of bis ·tT;ice \ . It is tlie v'oice of my Beloved. 2. Her difcerNing of · bil approaPh_; ' Befrold'J he cometh kapil:g t~ponthe mo•llt•ins, anil· skjppinr:upon the biUr. As to the form of it, it is r. AbrNpt; 'Ibe .voict of'"'J Beloved: 2• with a note of Ob[crvation or Attentim, 1l'l~it' ~eiJMd I, Hecomejhlt~pjng upon the Mountains! To.mlke tlie fence·.'perf.:ct, You mufi fuppofe the Spoufe to have lived fome time in a dark condition, not hearing. tHe V1lice, tnor f~eing the fate cf the Lora lefus Chrifi as formerly·; The Church under l'erfecut,lon , not lee)ng i)er .Signs, nor enjoying her Prophets as · formerly: And foas ·to the particular Sbulpot having for fome time enjoyed the gradaa11fenfiHle in'anif1:lhtion of divine 'l.ove ; and fo the Church'or a lJa'rticu\ar, Soul fi'{ting like a <lifconfolate Wife in an Ho\tfe who'fc ,iju~band is abf'ent, ana the hath not • heard from him nor fcen him for rome gooi:l fpace of fime: b"" on the fudden lhehe~rs ~is ' voice coming in the"Ro~a or Yard, and qyes out, 0 tb~ voice 'o.(.,'r,f Husband t ·•tu mj Hu:balfds tongue Ihta~ , ( o.'rt~e 1if,'e.1) , I.n' ~~h a ~ann"er i~ the :Cht>tch <* 'i'arti· , cular Sol~! ~ere ~roUt~'t 111 ; ', ( 'lbt'. v~tce' ~pmy • J}e1oved Jitttlljhe. ) Now th1s ab>up~ expJeffion · fiE!11fied\ rwo. or t·hree thmgs to IWi: : • ' •' An a!Jfent drift JOt !Jefpved. -1. That an abfent Chri{f i1 yet a beloved Chrift to hil true Church, 111d to the truly believing Soul. 2. 'Ihatthe Spo~<fe ofChrijt wiU l<_notl> her beloveds voice,thot~gb he bath a ,..hilt bm• abfent. ' 3• 'I hat the Spoufe ofChrift ,..;U grtatly repyce to hear hrr ~eloveds voict (efpeciaily after a time of abfenting himfeif.) Forth;: latter· part ol her fpeech,it concerneth others ; B<hold, faith !he, he com. 'tth,&c. where obferve. t.E:kr A§ertion; he come!h,faith !he. 2. The note ofObli:rvatwn prefixed to herAffertion,quickening others to obferve what !he faw; Behold /,.cometh. 3. 1he manner of bit <Omilfg dr[cribed, s~ipping upon the mounlain, and leapi11g upon the · HiU1 •. By the Mountains and HtUs may be meant, r : Opmly; they being the places of the earth more confpicuous th•n others. 2. Tht Nations and K:ingJotnJ of the world may be meant; 3· Di/ficllltif> and impedimeHtt may be Nnderftood; who art thotJ,O great Mo:mtain, before ZerubabeP 'Zech. 4· 7· So alfo IfoiJb 40. v. 4· <very Mumf'Qin and biU fh•U be broNght ·low: From this latter part of the Spou· fes fpeech,obferve, 4· 'Ihat 1bongh !he Lord Chrift ·may withdra,..; and abfenl bimfelf. · from bu-Church, and from I be Soulrofhil peoplr,[or a ~ime, yet he ,..;U come. 5· 'Ib4t rPben ht comu, he will come ikjpping upon tbe Mo11ntain1, and leaping upon the Hills, openly and hajtily,and~rampling aU (iiffi· culties, .and impedimrnts under hil feet. 6, Thai the Church, and the true member! of it, rPiU by the eye of foitb, di[cern Chri/homing, skipping upon· I he MaimlaJHs. And il ' if. tbe duty ·of aU to ob[crve it. Thus you fee iix excellent Obfervations, naturally rifmg out of· the Text: ·I !hall begin with them in order. Prop. ;J. Awab[cnt Cbrift i1 yet brloved by hi! trueCburcl>, and! liy;:very1r1Jiy believing S&ul. You may ea!ily by the phrafe of rhe Text difcern, chat Chrifi was at this time abfent from <he Spuufe; yet !he cries out,,,, ~li';· The voice of mr beloved : Abfent • from her yet beloved filii. M.iny watrowiU nut qumch Li>ve. But : ·let me more di!linctly . ( in the profecution of this point) En· •quire, ' r; When Cbri{t may lie }aid to be abfiJtt fr~m hif. Clmrcb, •rfrom 11 • particular Soul ? · . 2' Ho,.. itapp.t~ri that an abfent Chri{f n~iU yet be a beloved Cbri/l to the Spoufc ; and ,..herei11 wiU the Li>ve of the true Spo"fe o[Chrift ,, "n>'"~ t• an ab[enl Chrift. ? .TYben" ' |
