An exposition on the whole booke of Solomons song,: commonly called the canticles. Wherein the text is explained and usefull observations raised thereupon. / By John Robotham, preacher of the gospel.

But I found him whom my soule loveth.

I found, or Ʋntill I had found him Here after much seeking and waiting, the Church finds her Be∣loved: it is not lost labour to seeke and wait for Christ constantly and perseveringly: such labour in the Lord shall never be in vaine; for at the end of their seeking they shall have blessed successe.

Hence note.

First, That Christ giveth in comforts to his people, when in mans judgment all helps are past.

When the Church had sought Christ in all the meanes before spoken, as on her bed, in the Citie, and streets, and last of all enquires of the watchmen of the Citie, but in all this seeking finds not her beloved: but now a little after, when shee had left all outward meanes, and only waited for her Beloved, then Christ makes out to her the sweet manifestations of his grace and love; it is Christs usuall course, to let all outward

and humane helps faile, before he giveth comfort: as he suffered his Disciples on the Seas to be almost drow∣ned, before he would help them, Matth 14. 26. Christ doth also many times worke without meanes, that the praise might not be ascribed to men, but to himselfe: As he gave Abraham a Child when he was old, and it ceased to be with Sarah, after the manner of women, Gen. 18. 12. So the Lord brought his people out of Babylon, when they were in mans judgement as farre from returning home againe, as the dead which were buried in their graves, yet then the Lord commanded Ezekiel to Pro∣phesie to the dead bones, shewing thereby, that the people should rise out of the grave of captivitie in Ba∣bylon, and returne againe unto Jerusalem, Ezek. 37. And thus Christ did, when he was to raise Lazarus, he lets him lie in the grave foure dayes, and then raises him to life, Joh. 11. 39. And thus Peters deliverance was deserred to the last night, before the Lord sent an Angel to set him at liberty, Act 12. Thus Christ doth de∣ferre his comforts to the last, but he comes in due time to those that waite on him.

Secondly Observe.

That those that seeke and wait for Christ constantly and perseveringly shall at last find Christ.

The Church had sought Christ with much dili∣gence, and waited for him with much patience, and at length she hath blessed successe, and saith, I found him whom my soule loveth. A Father hath this saying, if not to day, yet to morrow; if not to morrow, yet the next day after it: as he which having fished all the day caught nothing, and at night did thinke to give over, yet cast his net againe, and caught the fish. We should not faint in spirituall things, for the promise is, Seeke

and yee shall finde, Matth. 7. 7. And wee shall reape if wee faint not. And the Apostle tels us, Wee have need of pa∣tience, that after wee have done the will of God, we might re∣ceive the promise, Heb. 10. 36.

But now the question may be, whether ever Christ be absent from his Spouse?

The answer is, no, but only in the manifestations of grace, and in discoveries of himselfe: but he is real∣ly in the soule of a believer still, and so he was now pre∣sent with the Spouse, even then when she sought after him. What is that stirred her up to seeke Christ so di∣ligently? and what was it that kindled her affections towards him, as to call him her beloved? surely it was Christ by his Spirit acting in her, and quickning up her affections: Christ had not so withdrawne, but he left the droppings of divine grace behinde him, he withdrew himselfe in manifestation only, not in the realitie of workings of his Spirit: her heart was never so dead, but she could seeke after her beloved, yea, and wait upon him, untill she had fresh discoveries of his love manifested unto her.

So much for the Churches successe.

Now follows her prudentiall care in keeping of Christ when found.

Notes

• Si non ho∣die, cras, si non cras, perendino die; ut qui piscatus die toanihil cepit, sub noctem abi∣re putans, capto qui ipsum toto die fefellit, pisce disce∣dit.