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Digitized by Harry Plantinga, planting@cs.pitt.edu, 1993.

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/(ot published in 0The &etropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit0.1
1293.
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4or many years, 5hether at home or abroad, it 5as &r.
*purgeon6s constant custom to obser7e the ordinance o8 the "ord6s
supper e7ery *abbath9day, unless illness pre7ented. This he
belie7ed to be in accordance 5ith apostolic precedent: and it 5as
his o8t9repeated testimony that the more 8re;uently he obeyed his
"ord6s command, This do in remembrance o8 &e, the more precious
did his *a7iour become to him, 5hile the memorial celebration
itsel8 pro7ed increasingly help8ul and instructi7e as the years
rolled by.
*e7eral o8 the discourses here published 5ere deli7ered to
thousands o8 communicants in the &etropolitan Tabernacle, 5hile
others 5ere addressed to the little companies o8 $hristians,99o8
di88erent denominations, and o8 7arious nationalities,995ho
gathered around the communion table in &r. *purgeon6s sitting9room
at &entone. The addresses co7er a 5ide range o8 sub<ects: but all
o8 them spea= more or less 8ully o8 the great atoning sacri8ice o8
5hich the bro=en bread and the 8illed cup are the simple yet
signi8icant symbols.
&r. *purgeon6s had intended to publish a selection o8 his
$ommunion )ddresses: so this 7olume may be regarded as another o8
the precious literary legacies be;ueathed by him to his brethren
and sisters in $hrist 5ho ha7e yet to tarry a 5hile here belo5. !t
is hoped that these sermonettes 5ill be the means o8 deepening the
spiritual li8e o8 many belie7ers, and that they 5ill suggest
suitable themes 8or meditation and discourse to those 5ho ha7e the
pri7ilege and responsibility o8 presiding at the ordinance.
$%(T#(T*.
&ysterious >isits.
Thou hast 7isited me in the night.99Psalm x7ii. 3.
'nder His *hado5.
He that d5elleth in the secret place o8 the most High shall
abide under the shado5 o8 the )lmighty 99Psalm xci. 1.
The shado5 o8 a great roc= in a 5eary land.99!sa. xxxii. ?.
)s the apple tree among the trees o8 the 5ood, so is my
,elo7ed among the sons. ! sat do5n under His shado5 5ith
great delight, and His 8ruit 5as s5eet to my taste@
*olomon6s *ong ii. 3.
,ecause Thou hast been my help, there8ore in the shado5 o8
Thy 5ings 5ill ! re<oice.99Psalm lxiii. A.
)nd He hath made my mouth li=e a sharp s5ord: in the shado5
o8 His hand hath He hid me, and made me a polished
sha8t: in His ;ui7er hath He hid me.99!sa. xlix. ?.
'nder the )pple Tree.
! sat do5n under His shado5 5ith great delight, and His
8ruit 5as s5eet to my taste.99*olomon6s *ong ii. 3.
%7er the &ountains.
&y ,elo7ed is mine, and ! am His@ He 8eedeth among the
lilies. 'ntil the day brea=, and the shado5s 8lee a5ay,
turn, my ,elo7ed, and be Thou li=e a roe or a young hart
upon the mountains o8 ,ether.99*olomon6s *ong ii. 13,
1A.
4ragrant *pices 8rom the &ountains o8 &yrrh.
Thou art all 8air, &y lo7e: there is no spot in thee.99
*olomon6s *ong i7. A.
The Bell9belo7ed.
-ea, He is altogether lo7ely.99*olomon6s *ong 7. 13.
The *piced Bine o8 my Pomegranate.
! 5ould cause Thee to drin= o8 spiced 5ine o8 the <uice o8
my pomegranate.99*olomon6s *ong 7iii. ?.
)nd o8 His 8ulness ha7e all 5e recei7ed, and grace 8or
grace,99Cohn i. 13.
The Bell9belo7ed6s >ineyard.
&y Bell9belo7ed hath a 7ineyard in a 7ery 8ruit8ul hill.99
!saiah 7. 1.
+edeemed *ouls 4reed 8rom 4ear.
4ear not@ 8or ! ha7e redeemed thee.99!saiah xliii. 1.
Cesus, the .reat %b<ect o8 )stonishment.
,ehold, &y *er7ant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted
and extolled, and be 7ery high. )s many 5ere astonied at
Thee: His 7isage 5as so marred more than any man, and
His 8orm more than the sons o8 men@ so shall He sprin=le
many nations, the =ings shall shut their mouths at Him@
8or that 5hich had not been told them shall they see:
and that 5hich they had not heard shall they consider.
99!saiah lii. 1391D.
,ands o8 "o7e: or, 'nion to $hrist.
! dre5 them 5ith cords o8 a man, 5ith bands o8 lo7e@ and !
5as to them as they that ta=e o88 the yo=e on their
<a5s, and ! laid meat unto them.99Hosea xi. E.
! 5ill .i7e you +est.
! 5ill gi7e you rest.99&atthe5 xi. ?2.
The &emorable Hymn.
)nd 5hen they had sung an hymn, they 5ent out into the mount
o8 %li7es.99&atthe5 xx7i. 3F.
Cesus )sleep on a Pillo5.
)nd He 5as in the hinder part o8 the ship, asleep on a
pillo5@ and they a5a=e Him, and say unto Him, &aster,
carest Thou not that 5e perishG )nd He arose, and
rebu=ed the 5ind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be
still. )nd the 5ind ceased, and there 5as a great
calm.99&ar= i7. 32, 39.
+eal $ontact 5ith Cesus.
)nd Cesus said, *omebody hath touched &e@ 8or ! percei7e
that 7irtue is gone out o8 &e.99"u=e 7iii. E3.
$hrist and His Table9companions.
)nd 5hen the hour 5as come, He sat do5n, and the t5el7e
apostles 5ith Him.99"u=e xxii. 1E.
) Bord 8rom the ,elo7ed6s %5n &outh.
)nd ye are clean.99Cohn xiii. 1F.
The ,elie7er not an %rphan.
! 5ill not lea7e you com8ortless@ ! 5ill come to you.99Cohn
xi7. 12.
$ommunion 5ith $hrist and His People.
The cup o8 blessing 5hich 5e bless, is it not the communion
o8 the blood o8 $hristG The bread 5hich 5e brea=, is it
not the communion o8 the body o8 $hristG 4or 5e being
many are one bread, and one body@ 8or 5e are all
parta=ers o8 that one bread.991 $or. x. 13, 1A.
The *in9,earer.
Bho His o5n sel8 bare our sins in His o5n body on the tree,
that 5e, being dead to sins, should li7e unto
righteousness@ by 5hose stripes ye 5ere healed. 4or ye
5ere as sheep going astray: but are no5 returned unto
the *hepherd and ,ishop o8 your souls.991 Peter ii. ?E,
?D.
*5ooning and +e7i7ing at $hrist6s 4eet.
)nd 5hen ! sa5 Him, ! 8ell at His 8eet as dead. )nd He laid
His right hand upon me, saying unto me, 4ear not: ! am
the 8irst and the last@ ! am He that li7eth, and 5as
dead: and, behold, ! am ali7e 8or e7ermore, )men@ and
ha7e the =eys o8 hell and o8 death.99+e7elation i. 1A,
12.
$.H. *purgeon6s $ommunion Hymn
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Thou hast 7isited me in the night.99Psalm x7ii. 3.
!T is a theme 8or 5onder that the glorious .od should 7isit sin8ul
man. Bhat is man, that Thou art mind8ul o8 himG and the son o8
man, that Thou 7isitest himG ) di7ine 7isit is a <oy to be
treasured 5hene7er 5e are 8a7oured 5ith it. Da7id spea=s o8 it
5ith great solemnity. The Psalmist 5as not content barely to
0spea=0 o8 it: but he 5rote it do5n in plain terms, that it might
be =no5n throughout all generations@ 0Thou hast 7isited me in the
night0. ,elo7ed, i8 .od has e7er 7isited you, you also 5ill
mar7el at it, 5ill carry it in your memory, 5ill spea= o8 it to
your 8riends, and 5ill record it in your diary as one o8 the
notable e7ents o8 your li8e. )bo7e all, you 5ill spea= o8 it to
.od Himsel8, and say 5ith adoring gratitude, Thou hast 7isited me
in the night. !t should be a solemn part o8 5orship to remember
and ma=e =no5n the condescension o8 the "ord, and say, both in
lo5ly prayer and in <oy8ul psalm, Thou hast 7isited me.
To you, belo7ed 8riends, 5ho gather 5ith me about this
communion table, ! 5ill spea= o8 my o5n experience, nothing
doubting that it is also yours. !8 our .od has e7er 7isited any o8
us, personally, by His *pirit, t5o results ha7e attended the
7isit@ 0it has been sharply searching, and it has been s5eetly
solacing0.
Bhen 8irst o8 all the "ord dra5s nigh to the heart, the
trembling soul percei7es clearly the searching character o8 His
7isit. +emember ho5 Cob ans5ered the "ord@ ! ha7e heard o8 Thee
by the hearing o8 the ear@ but no5 mine eye seeth Thee, 5here8ore
! abhor mysel8, and repent in dust and ashes. Be can read o8 .od,
and hear o8 .od, and be little mo7ed: but 5hen 5e 8eel His
presence, it is another matter. ! thought my house 5as good enough
8or =ings: but 5hen the Hing o8 =ings came to it, ! sa5 that it
5as a ho7el ;uite un8it 8or His abode. ! had ne7er =no5n sin to be
so exceeding sin8ul i8 ! had not =no5n .od to be so per8ectly
holy. ! had ne7er understood the depra7ity o8 my o5n nature i8 !
had not =no5n the holiness o8 .od6s nature. Bhen 5e see Cesus, 5e
8all at His 8eet as dead: till then, 5e are ali7e 5ith
7ainglorious li8e. !8 letters o8 light traced by a mysterious hand
upon the 5all caused the <oints o8 ,elshazzar6s loins to be
loosed, 5hat a5e o7ercomes our spirits 5hen 5e see the "ord
Himsel8I !n the presence o8 so much light our spots and 5rin=les
are re7ealed, and 5e are utterly ashamed. Be are li=e Daniel, 5ho
said, ! 5as le8t alone, and sa5 this great 7ision, and there
remained no strength in me@ 8or my comeliness 5as turned in me
into corruption. !t is 5hen the "ord 7isits us that 5e see our
nothingness, and as=, "ord, 5hat is manG
! do remember 5ell 5hen .od 8irst 7isited me: and assuredly
it 5as the night o8 nature, o8 ignorance, o8 sin. His 7isit had
the same e88ect upon me that it had upon *aul o8 Tarsus 5hen the
"ord spa=e to him out o8 hea7en. He brought me do5n 8rom the high
horse, and caused me to 8all to the ground: by the brightness o8
the light o8 His *pirit He made me grope in conscious blindness:
and in the bro=enness o8 my heart ! cried, "ord, 5hat 5ilt Thou
ha7e me to doG ! 8elt that ! had been rebelling against the "ord,
=ic=ing against the pric=s, and doing e7il e7en as ! could: and my
soul 5as 8illed 5ith anguish at the disco7ery. >ery searching 5as
the glance o8 the eye o8 Cesus, 8or it re7ealed my sin, and caused
me to go out and 5eep bitterly. )s 5hen the "ord 7isited )dam, and
called him to stand na=ed be8ore Him, so 5as ! stripped o8 all my
righteousness be8ore the 8ace o8 the &ost High. -et the 7isit
ended not there: 8or as the "ord .od clothed our 8irst parents in
coats o8 s=ins, so did He co7er me 5ith the righteousness o8 the
great sacri8ice, and He ga7e me songs in the night !t 5as night,
but the 7isit 5as no dream@ in 8act, ! there and then ceased to
dream, and began to deal 5ith the reality o8 things.
! thin= you 5ill remember that, 5hen the "ord 8irst 7isited
you in the night, it 5as 5ith you as 5ith Peter 5hen Cesus came to
him. He had been toiling 5ith his net all the night, and nothing
had come o8 it: but 5hen the "ord Cesus came into his boat, and
bade him launch out into the deep, and let do5n his net 8or a
draught, he caught such a great multitude o8 8ishes that the boat
began to sin=. *eeI the boat goes do5n, do5n, till the 5ater
threatens to engul8 it, and Peter, and the 8ish, and all. Then
Peter 8ell do5n at Cesus =nees, and cried, Depart 8rom me: 8or !
am a sin8ul man, % "ordI The presence o8 Cesus 5as too much 8or
him@ his sense o8 un5orthiness made him sin= li=e his boat, and
shrin= a5ay 8rom the Di7ine "ord. ! remember that sensation 5ell:
8or ! 5as hal8 inclined to cry 5ith the demoniac o8 .adara, Bhat
ha7e ! to do 5ith Thee, Cesus, Thou *on o8 .od most highG That
8irst disco7ery o8 His in<ured lo7e 5as o7erpo5ering: its 7ery
hope8ulness increased my anguish: 8or then ! sa5 that ! had slain
the "ord 5ho had come to sa7e me. ! sa5 that mine 5as the hand
5hich made the hammer 8all, and dro7e the nails that 8astened the
+edeemer6s hands and 8eet to the cruel tree.
&y conscience 8elt and o5n6d the guilt,
)nd plunged me in despair:
! sa5 my sins His blood had spilt,
)nd help6d to nail Him there.
This is the sight 5hich breeds repentance@ They shall loo=
upon Him 5hom they ha7e pierced, and mourn 8or Him. Bhen the "ord
7isits us, He humbles us, remo7es all hardness 8rom our hearts,
and leads us to the *a7iour6s 8eet.
Bhen the "ord 8irst 7isited us in the night it 5as 7ery much
5ith us as 5ith Cohn, 5hen the "ord 7isited him in the isle that
is called Patmos. He tells us, )nd 5hen ! sa5 Him, ! 8ell at His
8eet as dead. -es, e7en 5hen 5e begin to see that He has put a5ay
our sin, and remo7ed our guilt by His death, 5e 8eel as i8 5e
could ne7er loo= up again, because 5e ha7e been so cruel to our
best 4riend. !t is no 5onder i8 5e then say, !t is true that He
has 8orgi7en me: but ! ne7er can 8orgi7e mysel8. He ma=es me li7e,
and ! li7e in Him: but at the thought o8 His goodness ! 8all at
His 8eet as dead. ,oasting is dead, sel8 is dead, and all desire
8or anything beyond my "ord is dead also. Bell does $o5per sing
o899
That dear hour, that brought me to His 8oot,
)nd cut up all my 8ollies by the root.
The process o8 destroying 8ollies is more hope8ully per8ormed
at Cesus6 8eet than any5here else. %h, that the "ord 5ould come
again to us as at the 8irst, and li=e a consuming 8ire disco7er
and destroy the dross 5hich no5 alloys our goldI The 5ord 7isit
brings to us 5ho tra7el the remembrance o8 the go7ernment o88icer
5ho searches our baggage: thus doth the "ord see= out our secret
things. ,ut it also reminds us o8 the 7isits o8 the physician, 5ho
not only 8inds out our maladies, but also remo7es them. Thus did
the "ord Cesus 7isit us at the 8irst.
*ince those early days, ! hope that you and ! ha7e had many
7isits 8rom our "ord. Those 8irst 7isits 5ere, as ! said, sharply
searching: but the later ones ha7e been s5eetly solacing. *ome o8
us ha7e had them, especially in the night, 5hen 5e ha7e been
compelled to count the sleepless hours. Hea7en6s gate opens 5hen
this 5orld6s is shut. The night is still: e7erybody is a5ay: 5or=
is done: care is 8orgotten, and then the "ord Himsel8 dra5s near.
Possibly there may be pain to be endured, the head may be aching,
and the heart may be throbbing: but i8 Cesus comes to 7isit us,
our bed o8 languishing becomes a throne o8 glory. Though it is
true He gi7eth His belo7ed sleep, yet at such times He gi7es
them something better than sleep, namely: His o5n presence, and
the 8ulness o8 <oy 5hich comes 5ith it. ,y night upon our bed 5e
ha7e seen the unseen. ! ha7e tried sometimes not to sleep under an
excess o8 <oy, 5hen the company o8 $hrist has been s5eetly mine.
Thou hast 7isited me in the night. ,elie7e me, there are
such things as personal 7isits 8rom Cesus to His people. He has
not le8t us utterly. Though He be not seen 5ith the bodily eye by
bush or broo=, nor on the mount, nor by the sea, yet doth He come
and go, obser7ed only by the spirit, 8elt only by the heart. *till
he standeth behind our 5all, He sho5eth Himsel8 through the
lattices.
Cesus, these eyes ha7e ne7er seen
That radiant 8orm o8 ThineI
The 7eil o8 sense hangs dar= bet5een
Thy blessed 8ace and mineI
! see Thee not, ! hear Thee not,
-et art Thou o8t 5ith me,
)nd earth hath ne6er so dear a spot
)s 5here ! meet 5ith Thee.
"i=e some bright dream that comes unsought,
Bhen slumbers o6er me roll,
Thine image e7er 8ills my thought,
)nd charms my ra7ish6d soul.
-et though ! ha7e not seen, and still
&ust rest in 8aith alone:
! lo7e Thee, dearest "ordI and 5ill,
'nseen, but not un=no5n.
Do you as= me to describe these mani8estations o8 the "ordG
!t 5ere hard to tell you in 5ords@ you must =no5 them 8or
yoursel7es. !8 you had ne7er tasted s5eetness, no man li7ing could
gi7e you an idea o8 honey. -et i8 the honey be there, you can
taste and see. To a man born blind, sight must be a thing past
imagination: and to one 5ho has ne7er =no5n the "ord, His 7isits
are ;uite as much beyond conception.
4or our "ord to 7isit us is something more than 8or us to
ha7e the assurance o8 our sal7ation, though that is 7ery
delight8ul, and none o8 us should rest satis8ied unless 5e possess
it. To =no5 that Cesus lo7es me, is one thing: but to be 7isited
by Him in lo7e, is more.
(or is it simply a close contemplation o8 $hrist: 8or 5e can
picture Him as exceedingly 8air and ma<estic, and yet not ha7e Him
consciously near us. Delight8ul and instructi7e as it is to behold
the li=eness o8 $hrist by meditation, yet the en<oyment o8 His
actual presence is something more. ! may 5ear my 8riend6s portrait
about my person, and yet may not be able to say, Thou hast
7isited me.
!t is the actual, though spiritual, coming o8 $hrist 5hich 5e
so much desire. The +omish church says much about the 0real0
presence: meaning thereby, the corporeal presence o8 the "ord
Cesus. The priest 5ho celebrates mass tells us that he belie7es in
the 0real0 presence, but 5e reply, (ay, you belie7e in =no5ing
$hrist a8ter the 8lesh, and in that sense the only real presence
is in hea7en: but 5e 8irmly belie7e in the real presence o8 $hrist
5hich is spiritual, and yet certain. ,y spiritual 5e do not mean
unreal: in 8act, the spiritual ta=es the lead in real9ness to
spiritual men. ! belie7e in the true and real presence o8 Cesus
5ith His people@ such presence has been real to my spirit. "ord
Cesus, Thou Thysel8 hast 7isited me. )s surely as the "ord Cesus
came really as to His 8lesh to ,ethlehem and $al7ary, so surely
does He come really by His *pirit to His people in the hours o8
their communion 5ith Him. Be are as conscious o8 that presence as
o8 our o5n existence.
Bhen the "ord 7isits us in the night, 5hat is the e88ect upon
usG Bhen hearts meet hearts in 8ello5ship o8 lo7e, communion
brings 8irst peace, then rest, and then <oy o8 soul. ! am spea=ing
o8 no emotional excitement rising into 8anatical rapture: but !
spea= o8 sober 8act, 5hen ! say that the "ord6s great heart
touches ours, and our heart rises into sympathy 5ith Him.
4irst, 5e experience 0peace0. )ll 5ar is o7er, and a blessed
peace is proclaimed: the peace o8 .od =eeps our heart and mind by
$hrist Cesus.
PeaceI per8ect peaceI in this dar= 5orld o8 sinG
The blood o8 Cesus 5hispers peace 5ithin.
PeaceI per8ect peaceI 5ith sorro5s surging roundG
%n Cesus6 bosom nought but calm is 8ound.
)t such a time there is a delight8ul sense o8 0rest0: 5e ha7e
no ambitions, no desires. ) di7ine serenity and security en7elop
us. Be ha7e no thought o8 8oes, or 8ears, or a88lictions, or
doubts. There is a <oyous laying aside o8 our o5n 5ill. Be 0are0
nothing, and 5e 05ill0 nothing@ $hrist is e7erything, and His 5ill
is the pulse o8 our soul. Be are per8ectly content either to be
ill or to be 5ell, to be rich or to be poor, to be slandered or to
be honoured, so that 5e may but abide in the lo7e o8 $hrist. Cesus
8ills the horizon o8 our being.
)t such a time a 8lood o8 great 0<oy0 5ill 8ill our minds. Be
shall hal8 5ish that the morning may ne7er brea= again, 8or 8ear
its light should banish the superior light o8 $hrist6s presence.
Be shall 5ish that 5e could glide a5ay 5ith our ,elo7ed to the
place 5here He 8eedeth among the lilies. Be long to hear the
7oices o8 the 5hite9robed armies, that 5e may 8ollo5 their
glorious "eader 5hithersoe7er He goeth. ! am persuaded that there
is no great actual distance bet5een earth and hea7en@ the distance
lies in our dull minds. Bhen the ,elo7ed 7isits us in the night,
He ma=es our chambers to be the 7estibule o8 His palace9halls.
#arth rises to hea7en 5hen hea7en comes do5n to earth.
(o5, belo7ed 8riends, you may be saying to yoursel7es, 0Be0
ha7e not en<oyed such 7isits as these. -ou may do so. !8 the
4ather lo7es you e7en as He lo7es His *on, then you are on
7isiting terms 5ith Him. !8, then, He has not called upon you, you
5ill be 5ise to call on Him. ,reathe a sigh to Him, and say,99
Bhen 5ilt Thou come unto me, "ordG
%h come, my "ord most dearI
$ome near, come nearer, nearer still,
!6m blest 5hen Thou art near.
Bhen 5ilt Thou come unto me, "ordG
! languish 8or the sight:
Ten thousand suns 5hen Thou art hid,
)re shades instead o8 light.
Bhen 5ilt Thou come unto me, "ordG
'ntil Thou dost appear,
! count each moment 8or a day,
#ach minute 8or a year.
)s the hart panteth a8ter the 5ater9broo=s, so panteth my
soul a8ter Thee, % .odI !8 you long 8or Him, He much more longs
8or you. (e7er 5as there a sinner that 5as hal8 so eager 8or
$hrist as $hrist is eager 8or the sinner: nor a saint one9tenth so
anxious to behold his "ord as his "ord is to behold him. !8 thou
art running to $hrist, He is already near thee. !8 thou dost sigh
8or His presence, that sigh is the e7idence that He is 5ith thee.
He is 5ith thee no5@ there8ore be calmly glad.
.o 8orth, belo7ed, and tal= 5ith Cesus on the beach, 8or He
o8t resorted to the sea9shore. $ommune 5ith Him amid the oli7e9
gro7es so dear to Him in many a night o8 5restling prayer. !8 e7er
there 5as a country in 5hich men should see traces o8 Cesus, next
to the Holy "and, this +i7iera is the 8a7oured spot. !t is a land
o8 7ines, and 8igs, and oli7es, and palms: ! ha7e called it Thy
land, % !mmanuel. Bhile in this &entone, ! o8ten 8ancy that ! am
loo=ing out upon the "a=e o8 .ennesaret, or 5al=ing at the 8oot o8
the &ount o8 %li7es, or peering into the mysterious gloom o8 the
.arden o8 .ethsemane. The narro5 streets o8 the old to5n are such
as Cesus tra7ersed, these 7illages are such as He inhabited. Ha7e
your hearts right 5ith Him, and He 5ill 7isit you o8ten, until
e7ery day you shall 5al= 5ith .od, as #noch did, and so turn 5ee=9
days into *abbaths, meals into sacraments, homes into temples, and
earth into hea7en. *o be it 5ith usI )men.
'(D#+ H!* *H)D%B.
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T% ),%'T ) *$%+# ,+#TH+#(.
He that d5elleth in the secret place o8 the most High shall
abide under the shado5 o8 the )lmighty.99Psalm xci. 1.
! &'*T con8ess o8 my short discourse, as the man did o8 the axe
5hich 8ell into the stream, that it is borro5ed. The outline o8 it
is ta=en 8rom one 5ho 5ill ne7er complain o8 me, 8or to the great
loss o8 the $hurch she has le8t these lo5er choirs to sing abo7e.
&iss Ha7ergal, last and lo7eliest o8 our modern poets, 5hen her
tones 5ere most mello5, and her language most sublime, has been
caught up to s5ell the music o8 hea7en. Her last poems are
published 5ith the title, 'nder His *hado5, and the pre8ace
gi7es the reason 8or the name. *he said, ! should li=e the title
to be, 6'nder His *hado5.6 ! seem to see 8our pictures suggested
by that@ under the shado5 o8 a roc=, in a 5eary plain: under the
shado5 o8 a tree: closer still, under the shado5 o8 His 5ing:
nearest and closest, in the shado5 o8 His hand. *urely that hand
must be the pierced hand, that may o8tentimes press us sorely, and
yet e7ermore encircling, upholding, and shado5ing.
'nder His *hado5, is our a8ternoon sub<ect, and 5e 5ill in
a 8e5 5ords enlarge on the *criptural plan 5hich &iss Ha7ergal has
be;ueathed to us. %ur text is, He that d5elleth in the secret
place o8 the most High shall abide 0under the shado50 o8 the
)lmighty. The shado5 o8 .od is not the occasional resort, but the
constant abiding9place, o8 the saint. Here 5e 8ind not only our
consolation, but our habitation. Be ought ne7er to be out o8 the
shado5 o8 .od. !t is to d5ellers, not to 7isitors, that the "ord
promises His protection. He that 0d5elleth0 in the secret place
o8 the most High shall abide under the shado5 o8 the )lmighty@
and that shado5 shall preser7e him 8rom nightly terror and ghostly
ill, 8rom the arro5s o8 5ar and o8 pestilence, 8rom death and 8rom
destruction. .uarded by %mnipotence, the chosen o8 the "ord are
al5ays sa8e: 8or as they d5ell in the holy place, hard by the
mercy9seat, 5here the blood 5as sprin=led o8 old, the pillar o8
8ire by night, the pillar o8 cloud by day, 5hich e7er hangs o7er
the sanctuary, co7ers them also. !s it not 5ritten, !n the time
o8 trouble He shall hide me in His pa7ilion, in the secret o8 His
tabernacle shall He hide meG Bhat better security can 5e desireG
)s the people o8 .od, 5e are al5ays under the protection o8 the
&ost High. Bhere7er 5e go, 5hate7er 5e su88er, 5hate7er may be our
di88iculties, temptations, trials, or perplexities, 5e are al5ays
under the shado5 o8 the )lmighty. %7er all 5ho maintain their
8ello5ship 5ith .od the most tender guardian care is extended.
Their hea7enly 4ather Himsel8 interposes bet5een them and their
ad7ersaries. The experience o8 the saints, albeit they are all
under the shado5, yet di88ers as to the 8orm in 5hich that
protection has been en<oyed by them, hence the 7alue o8 the 8our
8igures 5hich 5ill no5 engage our attention.
!. Be 5ill begin 5ith the 8irst picture 5hich &iss Ha7ergal
mentions, namely, the roc= sheltering the 5eary tra7eller@990The
shado5 o8 a great roc= in a 5eary land0 /!saiah xxxii. ?1.
(o5, ! ta=e it that this is 5here 5e begin to =no5 our "ord6s
shado5. He 5as at the 8irst to us 0a re8uge in time o8 trouble0.
Beary 5as the 5ay, and great 5as the heat: our lips 5ere parched,
and our souls 5ere 8ainting: 5e sought 8or shelter, and 5e 8ound
none: 8or 5e 5ere in the 5ilderness o8 sin and condemnation, and
5ho could bring us deli7erance, or e7en hopeG Then 5e cried unto
the "ord in our trouble, and He led us to the +oc= o8 ages, 5hich
o8 old 5as cle8t 8or us. Be sa5 our interposing &ediator coming
bet5een us and the 8ierce heat o8 <ustice, and 5e hailed the
blessed screen. The "ord Cesus 5as unto us a co7ering 8or sin, and
so a co7ert 8rom 5rath. The sense o8 di7ine displeasure, 5hich had
beaten upon our conscience, 5as remo7ed by the remo7al o8 the sin
itsel8, 5hich 5e sa5 to be laid on Cesus, 5ho in our place and
stead endured its penalty.
The shado5 o8 a roc= is remar=ably cooling, and so 5as the
"ord Cesus eminently com8orting to us. The shado5 o8 a roc= is
more dense, more complete, and more cool than any other shade: and
so the peace 5hich Cesus gi7es passeth all understanding, there is
none li=e it. (o chance beam darts through the roc=9shade, nor can
the heat penetrate as it 5ill do in a measure through the 8oliage
o8 a 8orest. Cesus is a complete shelter, and blessed are they 5ho
are under His shado5. "et them ta=e care that they abide there,
and ne7er 7enture 8orth to ans5er 8or themsel7es, or to bra7e the
accusations o8 *atan.
)s 5ith sin, so 5ith sorro5 o8 e7ery sort@ the "ord is the
+oc= o8 our re8uge. (o sun shall smite us, nor, any heat, because
5e are ne7er out o8 $hrist. The saints =no5 5here to 8ly, and they
use their pri7ilege.
Bhen troubles, li=e a burning sun,
,eat hea7y on their head,
To $hrist their mighty +oc= they run,
)nd 8ind a pleasing shade.
There is, ho5e7er, something o8 a5e about this great shado5.
) roc= is o8ten so high as to be terrible, and 5e tremble in
presence o8 its greatness. The idea o8 littleness hiding behind
massi7e greatness is 5ell set 8orth: but there is no tender
thought o8 8ello5ship, or gentleness@ e7en so, at the 8irst, 5e
7ie5 the "ord Cesus as our shelter 8rom the consuming heat o8
5ell9deser7ed punishment, and 5e =no5 little more. !t is most
pleasant to remember that this is only one panel o8 the 8our98old
picture. !nexpressibly dear to my soul is the deep cool roc=9shade
o8 my blessed "ord, as ! stand in Him a sinner sa7ed: yet is there
more.
!!. %ur second picture, that o8 the tree, is to be 8ound in
the *ong o8 *olomon ii. 3@990)s the apple tree among the trees o8
the 5ood, so is my ,elo7ed among the sons. ! sat do5n under His
shado5 5ith great delight, and His 8ruit 5as s5eet to my taste0.
Here 5e ha7e not so much re8uge 8rom trouble as special 0rest
in times o8 <oy0. The spouse is happily 5andering through a 5ood,
glancing at many trees, and re<oicing in the music o8 the birds.
%ne tree specially charms her@ the citron 5ith its golden 8ruit
5ins her admiration, and she sits under its shado5 5ith great
delight: such 5as her ,elo7ed to her, the best among the good, the
8airest o8 the 8air, the <oy o8 her <oy, the light o8 her delight.
*uch is Cesus to the belie7ing soul.
The s5eet in8luences o8 $hrist are intended to gi7e us a
happy rest, and 5e ought to a7ail oursel7es o8 them: ! sat do5n
under His shado5. This 5as &ary6s better part, 5hich &artha 5ell9
nigh missed by being cumbered. That is the good old 5ay 5herein 5e
are to 5al=, the 5ay in 5hich 5e 8ind rest unto our souls. Papists
and papistical persons, 5hose religion is all ceremonies, or all
5or=ing, or all groaning, or all 8eeling, ha7e ne7er come to an
end. Be may say o8 their religion as o8 the la5, that it made
nothing per8ect: but under the gospel there is something 8inished,
and that something is the sum and substance o8 our sal7ation, and
there8ore there is rest 8or us, and 5e ought to sing, ! sat
do5n.
Dear 8riends, is $hrist to each one o8 us a place o8 sitting
do5nG ! do not mean a rest o8 idleness and sel89content,99.od
deli7er us 8rom that: but there is rest in a conscious grasp o8
$hrist, a rest o8 contentment 5ith Him as our all in all. .od gi7e
us to =no5 more o8 thisI This shado5 is also meant to yield
perpetual solace, 8or the spouse did not merely come under it, but
there she sat do5n as one 5ho meant to stay. $ontinuance o8 repose
and <oy is purchased 8or us by our "ord6s per8ected 5or=. 'nder
the shado5 she 8ound 8ood: she had no need to lea7e it to 8ind a
single need8ul thing, 8or the tree 5hich shaded also yielded
8ruit: nor did she need e7en to rise 8rom her rest, but sitting
still she 8easted on the delicious 8ruit. -ou 5ho =no5 the "ord
Cesus =no5 also 5hat this meaneth.
The spouse ne7er 5ished to go beyond her "ord. *he =ne5 no
higher li8e than that o8 sitting under the Bell9belo7ed6s shado5.
*he passed the cedar, and oa=, and e7ery other goodly tree, but
the apple9tree held her, and there she sat do5n. &any there be
that say, 5ho 5ill sho5 us any goodG ,ut as 8or us, % "ord, our
heart is 8ixed, our heart is 8ixed, resting on Thee. Be 5ill go no
8urther, 8or Thou art our d5elling9place, 5e 8eel at home 5ith
Thee, and sit do5n beneath Thy shado5. *ome $hristians culti7ate
re7erence at the expense o8 childli=e lo7e: they =neel do5n, but
they dare not sit do5n. %ur Di7ine 4riend and "o7er 5ills not that
it should be so: He 5ould not ha7e us stand on ceremony 5ith Him,
but come boldly unto Him.
"et us be simple 5ith Him, then,
(ot bac=5ard, sti88 or cold,
)s though our ,ethlehem could be
Bhat *ina 5as o8 old.
"et us use His sacred name as a common 5ord, as a household
5ord, and run to Him as to a dear 8amiliar 8riend. 'nder His
shado5 5e are to 8eel that 5e are at home, and then He 5ill ma=e
Himsel8 at home to us by becoming 8ood unto our souls, and gi7ing
spiritual re8reshment to us 5hile 5e rest. The spouse does not
here say that she reached up to the tree to gather its 8ruit, but
she sat do5n on the ground in intense delight, and the 8ruit came
to her 5here she sat. !t is 5onder8ul ho5 $hrist 5ill come do5n to
souls that sit beneath His shado5: i8 5e can but be at home 5ith
$hrist, He 5ill s5eetly commune 5ith us. Has He not said, Delight
thysel8 also in the "ord, and He shall gi7e thee the desires o8
thine heartG
!n this second 8orm o8 the sacred shado5, the sense o8 a5e
gi7es place to that o8 rest8ul delight in $hrist. Ha7e you e7er
8igured in such a scene as the sitter beneath the grate8ul shade
o8 the 8ruit8ul treeG Ha7e you not only possessed security, but
experienced delight in $hristG Ha7e you sung,99
! sat do5n under His shado5,
*at do5n 5ith great delight:
His 8ruit 5as s5eet unto my taste,
)nd pleasant to my sightG
This is as necessary an experience as it is <oy8ul@ necessary
8or many uses. The <oy o8 the "ord is our strength, and it is 5hen
5e delight oursel7es in the "ord that 5e ha7e assurance o8 po5er
in prayer. Here 8aith de7elops, and hope gro5s bright, 5hile lo7e
sheds abroad all the 8ragrance o8 her s5eet spices. %hI get you to
the apple9tree, and 8ind out 5ho is the 8airest among the 8air.
&a=e the "ight o8 hea7en the delight o8 your heart, and then be
8illed 5ith heart6s9ease, and re7el in complete content.
!!!. The third 7ie5 o8 the one sub<ect is,99the shado5 o8 his
5ings,99a precious 5ord. ! thin= the best specimen o8 it, 8or it
occurs se7eral times, is in that blessed Psalm, the sixty9third,
7erse se7en@99
0,ecause Thou hast been my help, there8ore in the shado5 o8
Thy 5ings 5ill ! re<oice0.
Does not this set 8orth our "ord as 0our trust in hours o8
depressionG0 !n the Psalm no5 open be8ore us, Da7id 5as banished
8rom the means o8 grace to a dry and thirsty land, 5here no 5ater
5as. Bhat is much 5orse, he 5as in a measure a5ay 8rom all
conscious en<oyment o8 .od. He says, #arly 5ill ! see= Thee. &y
soul thirsteth 8or Thee. He sings rather o8 memories than o8
present communion 5ith .od. Be also ha7e come into this condition,
and ha7e been unable to 8ind any present com8ort. Thou hast been
my help, has been the highest note 5e could stri=e, and 5e ha7e
been glad to reach to that. )t such times, the light o8 .od6s 8ace
has been 5ithdra5n, but our 8aith has taught us to re<oice under
the shado5 o8 His 5ings. "ight there 5as none: 5e 5ere altogether
in the shade, but it 5as a 5arm shade. Be 8elt that .od 5ho had
been near must be near us still, and there8ore 5e 5ere ;uieted.
%ur .od cannot change, and there8ore as He 5as our help He must
still be our help, our help e7en though He casts a shado5 o7er us,
8or it must be the shado5 o8 His o5n eternal 5ings. The metaphor
is, o8 course, deri7ed 8rom the nestling o8 little birds under the
shado5 o8 their mother6s 5ings, and the picture is singularly
touching and com8orting. The little bird is not yet able to ta=e
care o8 itsel8, so it co5ers do5n under the mother, and is there
happy and sa8e. Disturb a hen 8or a moment, and you 5ill see all
the little chic=ens huddling together, and by their chirps ma=ing
a =ind o8 song. Then they push their heads into her 8eathers, and
seem happy beyond measure in their 5arm abode. Bhen 5e are 7ery
sic= and sore depressed, 5hen 5e are 5orried 5ith the care o8
pining children, and the troubles o8 a needy household, and the
temptations o8 *atan, ho5 com8orting it is to run to our .od,99
li=e the little chic=s run to the hen,99and hide a5ay near His
heart, beneath His Bings. %h, tried ones, press closely to the
lo7ing heart o8 your "ord, hide yoursel7es entirely beneath His
5ingsI Here a5e has disappeared, and rest itsel8 is enhanced by
the idea o8 lo7ing trust. The little birds are sa8e in their
mother6s lo7e, and 5e, too, are beyond measure secure and happy in
the lo7ing 8a7our o8 the "ord.
!>. The last 8orm o8 the shado5 is that o8 the hand, and
this, it seems to me, points to po5er and position in ser7ice.
Turn to !saiah xlix. ?@99
0)nd He hath made my mouth li=e a sharp s5ord: in the shado5
o8 His hand hath He =id me, and made me a polished sha8t: in His
;ui7er hath He hid me0.
This undoubtedly re8ers to the *a7iour, 8or the passage
proceeds@99)nd said unto me, Thou art my ser7ant, % !srael, in
5hom ! 5ill be glori8ied. Then ! said, ! ha7e laboured in 7ain, !
ha7e spent my strength 8or nought, and in 7ain@ yet surely my
<udgment is 5ith the "ord, and my 5or= 5ith my .od. )nd no5, saith
the "ord that 8ormed me 8rom the 5omb to be His ser7ant, to bring
Cacob again to Him, though !srael be not gathered, yet shall ! be
glorious in the eyes o8 the "ord, and my .od shall be my strength.
)nd He said, !t is a light thing that thou shouldest be &y ser7ant
to raise up the tribes o8 Cacob, and to restore the preser7ed o8
!srael@ ! 5ill also gi7e thee 8or a light to the .entiles, that
thou mayest be &y sal7ation unto the end o8 the earth. %ur "ord
Cesus $hrist 5as hidden a5ay in the hand o8 Ceho7ah, to be used by
Him as a polished sha8t 8or the o7erthro5 o8 His enemies, and the
7ictory o8 His people. -et, inasmuch as it is $hrist, it is also
all $hrist6s ser7ants, since as He is so are 5e also in this
5orld: and to ma=e ;uite sure o8 it, 5e ha7e the same expression
in the sixteenth 7erse o8 the 8i8ty98irst chapter, 5here, spea=ing
o8 His people, He says, ! ha7e co7ered thee in the shado5 o8 &ine
hand. !s not this an excellent minister6s textG #7ery one o8 you
5ho 5ill spea= a 5ord 8or Cesus shall ha7e a share in it. This is
5here those 5ho are 5or=ers 8or $hrist should long to be,99in the
shado5 o8 His hand, to achie7e His eternal purpose. Bhat are any
o8 .od6s ser7ants 5ithout their "ord but 5eapons out o8 the
5arrior6s hand, ha7ing no po5er to do anythingG Be ought to be as
the arro5s o8 the "ord 5hich He shoots at His enemies: and so
great is His hand o8 po5er, and so little are 5e as His
instruments, that He hides us a5ay in the hollo5 o8 His hand,
unseen until He darts us 8orth. )s 5or=ers, 5e are to be hidden
a5ay in the hand o8 .od, or to ;uote the other 8igure, in His
;ui7er hath He hid me@ 5e are to be unseen till He uses us. !t is
impossible 8or us not to be =no5n some5hat i8 the "ord uses us,
but 5e may not aim at being noticed, but, on the contrary, i8 5e
be as much used as the 7ery chie8 o8 the apostles, 5e must
truth8ully add, though ! be nothing. %ur desire should be that
$hrist should be glori8ied, and that sel8 should be concealed.
)lasI there is a 5ay o8 al5ays sho5ing sel8 in 5hat 5e do, and 5e
are all too ready to 8all into it. -ou can 7isit the poor in such
a 5ay that they 5ill 8eel that his lordship or her ladyship has
condescended to call upon poor ,etsy: but there is another 5ay o8
doing the same thing so that the tried child o8 .od shall =no5
that a brother belo7ed or a dear sister in $hrist has sho5n a
8ello598eeling 8or her, and has tal=ed to her heart. There is a
5ay o8 preaching, in 5hich a great di7ine has e7idently displayed
his 7ast learning and talent: and there is another 5ay o8
preaching, in 5hich a 8aith8ul ser7ant o8 Cesus $hrist, depending
upon his "ord, has spo=en in his &aster6s name, and le8t a rich
unction behind. Bithin the hand o8 .od is the place o8 acceptance,
and sa8ety: and 8or ser7ice it is the place o8 po5er, as 5ell as
o8 concealment. .od only 5or=s 5ith those 5ho are in His hand: and
the more 5e lie hidden there, the more surely 5ill He use us ere
long. &ay the "ord do unto us according to His 5ord, ! ha7e put
&y 5ords in thy mouth, and ! ha7e co7ered thee in the shado5 o8 &y
hand. !n this case 5e shall 8eel all the 8ormer emotions
combined@ a5e that the "ord should condescend to ta=e us into His
hand, rest and delight that He should deign to use us, trust that
out o8 5ea=ness 5e shall no5 be made strong, and to this 5ill be
added an absolute assurance that the end o8 our being must be
ans5ered, 8or that 5hich is urged on5ard by the )lmighty hand
cannot miss its mar=.
These are mere sur8ace thoughts. The sub<ect deser7es a
series o8 discourses. -our best course, my belo7ed 8riends, 5ill
be to enlarge upon these hints by a long personal experience o8
abiding under the shado5 o8 the )lmighty. &ay .od the Holy .host
lead you into it, and =eep you there, 8or Cesus6 sa=eI
'(D#+ TH# )PP"# T+##.
! sat do5n under His shado5 5ith great delight, and His
8ruit 5as s5eet to my taste.99*olomon6s *ong ii. 3.
$hrist 0=no5n should be $hrist used0. The spouse =ne5 her ,elo7ed
to be li=e a 8ruit9bearing tree, and at once she sat under His
shado5, and 8ed upon His 8ruit. !t is a pity that 5e =no5 so much
about $hrist, and yet en<oy Him so little. &ay our experience =eep
pace 5ith our =no5ledge, and may that experience be composed o8 a
practical using o8 our "ordI Cesus casts a shado5, let us sit
under it@ Cesus yields 8ruit, let us taste the s5eetness o8 it.
Depend upon it that the 5ay to learn more is to use 5hat you =no5:
and, moreo7er, the 5ay to learn a truth thoroughly is to learn it
experimentally. -ou =no5 a doctrine beyond all 8ear o8
contradiction 5hen you ha7e pro7ed it 8or yoursel8 by personal
test and trial. The bride in the song as good as says, ! am
certain that my ,elo7ed casts a shado5, 8or ! ha7e sat under it,
and ! am persuaded that He bears s5eet 8ruit, 8or ! ha7e tasted o8
it. The best 5ay o8 demonstrating the po5er o8 $hrist to sa7e is
to trust in Him and be sa7ed yoursel8: and o8 all those 5ho are
sure o8 the di7inity o8 our holy 8aith, there are none so certain
as those 5ho 8eel its di7ine po5er upon themsel7es. -ou may reason
yoursel8 into a belie8 o8 the gospel, and you may by 8urther
reasoning =eep yoursel8 orthodox: but a personal trial, and an
in5ard =no5ing o8 the truth, are incomparably the best e7idences.
!8 Cesus be as an apple tree among the trees o8 the 5ood, do not
=eep a5ay 8rom Him, but sit under His shado5, and taste His 8ruit.
He is a *a7iour: do not belie7e the 8act and yet remain unsa7ed.
)s 8ar as $hrist is =no5n to you, so 8ar ma=e use o8 Him. !s not
this sound common9senseG
Be 5ould 8urther remar= that 05e are at liberty to ma=e e7ery
possible use o8 $hrist0. *hado5 and 8ruit may both be en<oyed.
$hrist in His in8inite condescension exists 8or needy souls. %h,
let us say it o7er again@ it is a bold 5ord, but it is true,99as
$hrist Cesus, our "ord exists 8or the bene8it o8 His people. )
*a7iour only exists to sa7e. ) physician li7es to heal. The .ood
*hepherd li7es, yea, dies, 8or His sheep. %ur "ord Cesus $hrist
hath 5rapped us about His heart: 5e are intimately inter5o7en 5ith
all His o88ices, 5ith all His honours, 5ith all His traits o8
character, 5ith all that He has done, and 5ith all that He has yet
to do. The 6sinners6 4riend li7es 8or sinners, and sinners may
ha7e Him and use Him to the uttermost. He is as 8ree to us as the
air 5e breathe. Bhat are 8ountains 8or, but that the thirsty may
drin=G Bhat is the harbour 8or but that storm9tossed bar;ues may
there 8ind re8ugeG Bhat is $hrist 8or but that poor guilty ones
li=e oursel7es may come to Him and loo= and li7e, and a8ter5ards
may ha7e all our needs supplied out o8 His 8ulnessG
Be ha7e thus the door set open 8or us, and 5e pray that the
Holy *pirit may help us to enter in 5hile 5e notice in the text
t5o things 5hich 5e pray that you may en<oy to the 8ull. 4irst,
0the heart6s rest in $hrist@0 ! sat do5n under His shado5 5ith
great delight. )nd, secondly, 0the heart6s re8reshment in
$hrist@0 His 8ruit 5as s5eet to my taste.
!. To begin 5ith, 5e ha7e here the heart6s rest in $hrist. To
set this 8orth, let us notice the character o8 the person 5ho
uttered this sentence. *he 5ho said, ! sat do5n under His shado5
5ith great delight, 5as one 5ho 0had =no5n be8ore 5hat 5eary
tra7el meant, and there8ore 7alued rest:0 8or the man 5ho has
ne7er laboured =no5s nothing o8 the s5eetness o8 repose. The
loa8er 5ho has eaten bread he ne7er earned, 8rom 5hose bro5 there
ne7er oozed a drop o8 honest s5eat, does not deser7e rest, and
=no5s not 5hat it is. !t is to the labouring man that rest is
s5eet: and 5hen at last 5e come, toil95orn 5ith many miles o8
5eary plodding, to a shaded place 5here 5e may com8ortably sit
do5n, then are 5e 8illed 5ith delight.
The spouse had been see=ing her ,elo7ed, and in loo=ing 8or
Him she had as=ed 5here she 5as li=ely to 8ind Him. Tell me,
says she, % Thou 5hom my soul lo7eth, 5here Thou 8eedest, 5here
Thou ma=est Thy 8loc= to rest at noon. The ans5er 5as gi7en to
her, .o thy 5ay 8orth by the 8ootsteps o8 the 8loc=. *he did go
her 5ay: but, a8ter a 5hile, she came to this resolution@ ! 5ill
0sit do5n0 under His shado5.
&any o8 you ha7e been sorely 5earied 5ith going your 5ay to
8ind peace. *ome o8 you tried ceremonies, and trusted in them, and
the priest came to your help: but he moc=ed your heart6s distress.
%thers o8 you sought by 7arious systems o8 thought to come to an
anchorage: but, tossed 8rom billo5 to billo5, you 8ound no rest
upon the seething sea o8 speculation. &ore o8 you tried by your
good 5or=s to gain rest to your consciences. -ou multiplied your
prayers, you poured out 8loods o8 tears, you hoped, by almsgi7ing
and by the li=e, that some merit might accrue to you, and that
your heart might 8eel acceptance 5ith .od, and so ha7e rest. -ou
toiled and toiled, li=e the men that 5ere in the 7essel 5ith Conah
5hen they ro5ed hard to bring their ship to land, but could not,
8or the sea 5rought and 5as tempestuous. There 5as no escape 8or
you that 5ay, and so you 5ere dri7en to another 5ay, e7en to rest
in Cesus. &y heart loo=s bac= to the time 5hen ! 5as under a sense
o8 sin, and sought 5ith all my soul to 8ind peace, but could not
disco7er it, high or lo5, in any place beneath the s=y: yet 5hen
! sa5 one hanging on a tree, as the *ubstitute 8or sin, then my
heart sat do5n under His shado5 5ith great delight. &y heart
reasoned thus 5ith hersel8,99Did Cesus su88er in my steadG Then !
shall not su88er. Did He bear my sinG Then ! do not bear it. Did
.od accept His *on as my *ubstituteG Then He 5ill ne7er smite
0me0. Bas Cesus acceptable 5ith .od as my *acri8iceG Then 5hat
contents the "ord may 5ell enough content me, and so ! 5ill go no
8arther, but@ sit do5n under His shado5, and en<oy a delight8ul
rest.
*he 5ho said, ! sat do5n under His shado5 5ith great
delight, 0could appreciate shade, 8or she had been sunburnt0. Did
5e not read <ust no5 her exclamation,99"oo= not upon me, 8or ! am
blac=, because the sun hath loo=ed upon meG *he =ne5 5hat heat
meant, 5hat the burning sun meant: and there8ore shade 5as
pleasant to her. -ou =no5 nothing about the deliciousness o8 shade
till you tra7el in a thoroughly hot country: then you are
delighted 5ith it. Did you e7er 8eel the heat o8 di7ine 5rathG Did
the great *un99that *un 5ithout 7ariableness or shado5 o8 a
turning99e7er dart upon you His hottest rays,99the rays o8 his
holiness and <usticeG Did you co5er do5n beneath the scorching
beams o8 that great "ight, and say, Be are consumed by Thine
angerG !8 you ha7e e7er 8elt 0that0, you ha7e 8ound it a 7ery
blessed thing to come under the shado5 o8 $hrist6s atoning
sacri8ice. ) shado5, you =no5, is cast by a body coming bet5een us
and the light and heat: and our "ord6s most blessed body has come
bet5een us and the scorching sun o8 di7ine <ustice, so that 5e sit
under the shado5 o8 His mediation 5ith great delight.
)nd no5, i8 any other sun begins to scorch us, 5e 8ly to our
"ord. !8 domestic trouble, or business care, or *atanic
temptation, or in5ard corruption, oppresses us, 5e hasten to
Cesus6 shado5, to hide under Him, and there sit do5n in the cool
re8reshment 5ith great delight. The interposition o8 our blessed
"ord is the cause o8 our in5ard ;uiet. The sun cannot scorch 0me0,
8or it scorched 0Him0. &y troubles need not trouble me, 8or He has
ta=en my trouble, and ! ha7e le8t it in His hands. ! sat do5n
under His shado5.
&ar= 5ell these t5o things concerning the spouse. *he =ne5
5hat it 5as to be 5eary, and she =ne5 5hat it 5as to be sunburnt:
and <ust in proportion as you also =no5 these t5o things, your
7aluation o8 $hrist 5ill rise. -ou 5ho ha7e ne7er pined under the
5rath o8 .od ha7e ne7er prized the *a7iour. Bater is o8 small
7alue in this land o8 broo=s and ri7ers, and so you commonly
sprin=le the roads 5ith it: but ! 5arrant you that, i8 you 5ere
ma=ing a day6s march o7er burning sand, a cup o8 cold 5ater 5ould
be 5orth a =ing6s ransom: and so to thirsty souls $hrist is
precious, but to none beside.
(o5, 5hen the spouse 5as sitting do5n, rest8ul and delighted,
0she 5as o7ershado5ed0. *he says, ! sat do5n 0under His shado50.
! do not =no5 a more delight8ul state o8 mind than to 8eel ;uite
o7ershado5ed by our belo7ed "ord. Here is my blac= sin, but there
is His precious blood o7ershado5ing my sin, and hiding it 8or
e7er. Here is my condition by nature, an enemy to .od: but He 5ho
reconciled me to .od by His blood has o7ershado5ed that also, so
that ! 8orget that ! 5as once an enemy in the <oy o8 being no5 a
8riend. ! am 7ery 5ea=: but He is strong, and His strength
o7ershado5s my 8eebleness. ! am 7ery poor: but He hath all riches,
and His riches o7ershado5 my po7erty. ! am most un5orthy: but He
is so 5orthy that i8 ! use His name ! shall recei7e as much as i8
! 5ere 5orthy@ His 5orthiness doth o7ershado5 my un5orthiness. !t
is 7ery precious to put the truth the other 5ay, and say, !8 there
be anything good in me, it is not good 5hen ! compare mysel8 5ith
Him, 8or His goodness ;uite eclipses and o7ershado5s it. $an ! say
! lo7e HimG *o ! do, but ! hardly dare call it lo7e, 8or His lo7e
o7ershado5s it. Did ! suppose that ! ser7ed HimG *o ! 5ould: but
my poor ser7ice is not 5orth mentioning in comparison 5ith 5hat He
has done 8or me. Did ! thin= ! had any degree o8 holinessG ! must
not deny 5hat His *pirit 5or=s in me: but 5hen ! thin= o8 His
immaculate li8e, and all His di7ine per8ections, 5here am !G Bhat
am !G Ha7e you not sometimes 8elt thisG Ha7e you not been so
o7ershado5ed and hidden under your "ord that you became as
nothingG ! =no5 mysel8 5hat it is to 8eel that i8 ! die in a
5or=house it does not matter so long as my "ord is glori8ied.
&ortals may cast out my name as e7il, i8 they li=e: but 5hat
matters it since His dear name shall one day be printed in stars
ath5art the s=yG "et Him o7ershado5 me: ! delight that it should
be so.
The spouse tells us that, 5hen she became ;uite o7ershado5ed,
then 0she 8elt great delight0. .reat 0!0 ne7er has great
delight, 8or it cannot bear to o5n a greater than itsel8, but the
humble belie7er 8inds his delight in being o7ershado5ed by his
"ord. !n the shade o8 Cesus 5e ha7e more delight than in any
8ancied light o8 our o5n. The spouse had 0great0 delight. ! trust
that you $hristian people do ha7e great delight: and i8 not, you
ought to as= yoursel7es 5hether you really are the people o8 .od.
! li=e to see a cheer8ul countenance: ay, and to hear o8 raptures
in the hearts o8 those 5ho are .od6s saintsI There are people 5ho
seem to thin= that religion and gloom are married, and must ne7er
be di7orced. Pull do5n the blinds on *unday, and dar=en the rooms:
i8 you ha7e a garden, or a rose in 8lo5er, try to 8orget that
there are such beauties@ are you not to ser7e .od as dolorously as
you canG Put your boo= under your arm, and cra5l to your place o8
5orship in as mourn8ul a manner as i8 you 5ere being marched to
the 5hipping9post. )ct thus i8 you 5ill: but gi7e me that religion
5hich cheers my heart, 8ires my soul, and 8ills me 5ith enthusiasm
and delight,998or that is li=ely to be the religion o8 hea7en, and
it agrees 5ith the experience o8 the !nspired *ong.
)lthough ! trust that 5e =no5 5hat delight means, ! ;uestion
i8 5e ha7e enough o8 it to describe oursel7es as 0sitting do5n0 in
the en<oyment o8 it. Do you gi7e yoursel7es enough time to sit at
Cesus6 8eetG 0There0 is the place o8 delight, do you abide in itG
*it do5n under His shado5. ! ha7e no leisure, cries one. Try and
ma=e a little. *teal it 8rom your sleep i8 you cannot get it
anyho5 else. .rant leisure to your heart. !t 5ould be a great pity
i8 a man ne7er spent 8i7e minutes 5ith his 5i8e, but 5as 8orced to
be al5ays hard at 5or=. Bhy, that is sla7ey, is it notG *hall 5e
not then ha7e time to commune 5ith our ,est9belo7edG *urely,
someho5 or other, 5e can s;ueeze out a little season in 5hich 5e
shall ha7e nothing else to do but to sit do5n under His shado5
5ith great delightI Bhen ! ta=e my ,ible, and 5ant to 8eed on it
8or mysel8, ! generally get thin=ing about preaching upon the
text, and 5hat ! should say to you 8rom it. This 5ill not do: !
must get a5ay 8rom that, and 8orget that there is a Tabernacle,
that ! may sit personally at Cesus6 8eet. )nd, oh, there is an
intense delight in being o7ershado5ed by HimI He is near you, and
you =no5 it. His dear presence is as certainly 5ith you as i8 you
could see Him, 8or His in8luence surrounds you.
%8ten ha7e ! 8elt as i8 Cesus leaned o7er me, as a 8riend
might loo= o7er my shoulder. )lthough no cool shade comes o7er
your bro5, yet you may as much 8eel His shado5 as i8 it did, 8or
your heart gro5s calm: and i8 you ha7e been 5earied 5ith the
8amily, or troubled 5ith the church, or 7exed 5ith yoursel8, you
come do5n 8rom the chamber 5here you ha7e seen your "ord, and you
8eel braced 8or the battle o8 li8e, ready 8or its troubles and its
temptations, because you ha7e seen the "ord. ! sat do5n said
she, under His shado5 5ith 0great delight0. Ho5 great that
delight 5as she could not tell, but she sat do5n as one
o7erpo5ered 5ith it, needing to sit still under the load o8 bliss.
! do not li=e to tal= much about the secret delights o8
$hristians, because there are al5ays some around us 5ho do not
understand our meaning: but ! 5ill 7enture to say this much99that
i8 5orldlings could but e7en guess 5hat are the secret <oys o8
belie7ers, they 5ould gi7e their eyes to share 5ith us. Be ha7e
troubles, and 5e admit it, 5e expect to ha7e them: but 5e ha7e
<oys 5hich are 8re;uently excessi7e. Be should not li=e that
others should be 5itnesses o8 the delight 5hich no5 and then
tosses our soul into a 7ery tempest o8 <oy. -ou =no5 5hat it
means, do you notG Bhen you ha7e been ;uite alone 5ith the
hea7enly ,ridegroom, you 5anted to tell the angels o8 the s5eet
lo7e o8 $hrist to you, a poor un5orthy one. -ou e7en 5ished to
teach the golden harps 8resh music, 8or seraphs =no5 not the
heights and depths o8 the grace o8 .od as you =no5 them.
The spouse had great delight, and 5e =no5 that she had, 8or
this one reason, that 0she did not 8orget it0. This 7erse and the
5hole *ong are a remembrance o8 5hat she had en<oyed. *he says, !
sat do5n under His shado5. !t may ha7e been a month, it may ha7e
been years ago: but she had not 8orgotten it. The <oys o8
8ello5ship 5ith .od are 5ritten in marble. #ngra7ed as in eternal
brass are memories o8 communion 5ith $hrist Cesus. )bo7e
8ourteen years ago, says the apostle, ! =ne5 a man. )h, it 5as
5orth remembering all those yearsI He had not told his delight,
but he had =ept it stored up. He says, ! =ne5 a man in $hrist
abo7e 8ourteen years ago /5hether in the body, ! cannot tell: or
5hether out o8 the body, ! cannot tell@1 so great had his
delights been. Bhen 5e loo= bac=, 5e 8orget birthdays, holidays,
and bon8ire9nights 5hich 5e ha7e spent a8ter the manner o8 men,
but 5e readily recall our times o8 8ello5ship 5ith the Bell9
belo7ed. Be ha7e =no5n our Tabors, our times o8 trans8iguration
8ello5ship, and li=e Peter 5e remember 5hen 5e 5ere 5ith Him in
the holy mount. %ur head has leaned upon the &aster6s bosom, and
5e can ne7er 8orget the intense delight: nor 5ill 5e 8ail to put
on record 8or the good o8 others the <oys 5ith 5hich 5e ha7e been
indulged.
(o5 ! lea7e this 8irst part o8 the sub<ect, only noticing ho5
beauti8ully natural it is. There 5as a tree, and she sat do5n
under the shado5@ there 5as nothing strained, nothing 8ormal. *o
ought true piety e7er to be consistent 5ith common9sense, 5ith
that 5hich seems most 8itting, most comely, most 5ise, and most
natural. There is $hrist, 5e may en<oy Him, let us not despise the
pri7ilege.
!!. The second part o8 our sub<ect is, the heart6s
re8reshment in $hrist. His 8ruit 5as s5eet to my taste. Here !
5ill not enlarge, but gi7e you thoughts in brie8 5hich you can
beat out a8ter5ards. 0*he did not 8east upon the 8ruit o8 the tree
till 8irst she 5as under the shado5 o8 it.0 There is no =no5ing
the excellent things o8 $hrist till you trust Him. (ot a single
s5eet apple shall 8all to the lot o8 those 5ho are outside the
shado5. $ome and trust $hrist, and then all that there is in
$hrist shall be en<oyed by you. % unbelie7ers, 5hat you missI !8
you 5ill but sit do5n under His shado5, you shall ha7e all things:
but i8 you 5ill not, neither shall any good thing o8 $hrist6s be
yours.
0,ut as soon as e7er she 5as under the shado5, then the 8ruit
5as all hers0. ! sat do5n under His shado5, saith she, and then,
His 8ruit 5as s5eet to my taste. Dost thou belie7e in Cesus,
8riendG Then Cesus $hrist Himsel8 is thine: and i8 thou dost o5n
the tree, thou mayest 5ell eat the 8ruit. *ince He Himsel8 becomes
thine altogether, then His redemption and the pardon that comes o8
it, His li7ing po5er, His mighty intercession, the glories o8 His
*econd )d7ent, and all that belong to Him are made o7er to thee
8or thy personal and present use and en<oyment. )ll things are
yours, since $hrist is yours. %nly mind you imitate the spouse@
05hen she 8ound that the 8ruit 5as hers, she ate it0. $opy her
closely in this. !t is a great 8ault in many belie7ers, that they
do not appropriate the promises, and 8eed on them. Do not err as
they do. 'nder the shado5 you ha7e a right to eat the 8ruit. Deny
not yoursel7es the sacred entertainment.
(o5, it 5ould appear, as 5e read the text, that 0she obtained
this 8ruit 5ithout e88ort0. The pro7erb says, He 5ho 5ould gain
the 8ruit must climb the tree. ,ut she did not climb, 8or she
says, ! sat do5n under His shado5. ! suppose the 8ruit dropped
do5n to her. ! =no5 that it is so 5ith us. Be no longer spend our
money 8or that 5hich is not bread, and our labour 8or that 5hich
satis8ieth not: but 5e sit under our "ord6s shado5, and 5e eat
that 5hich is good, and our soul delights itsel8 in s5eetness.
$ome $hristian, enter into the calm rest o8 8aith, by sitting do5n
beneath the cross, and thou shalt be 8ed e7en to the 8ull.
0The spouse rested 5hile 8easting@0 she sat and ate. *o, %
true belie7er, rest 5hilst thou art 8eeding upon $hristI The
spouse says, ! sat, and ! ate. Had she not told us in the 8ormer
chapter that the Hing 0sat0 at His tableG *ee ho5 li=e the $hurch
is to her "ord, and the belie7er to his *a7iourI Be sit do5n also,
and 5e eat, e7en as the Hing doth. +ight royally are 5e
entertained. His <oy is in us, and His peace =eeps our hearts and
minds.
4urther, notice that, 0as the spouse 8ed upon this 8ruit, she
had a relish 8or it.0 !t is not e7ery palate that li=es e7ery
8ruit. (e7er dispute 5ith other people about tastes o8 any sort,
8or agreement is not possible. That dainty 5hich to one person is
the most delicious is to another nauseous: and i8 there 5ere a
competition as to 5hich 8ruit is pre8erable to all the rest, there
5ould probably be almost as many opinions as there are 8ruits. ,ut
blessed is he 5ho hath a relish 8or $hrist CesusI Dear hearer, is
He s5eet to youG Then He is yours. There ne7er 5as a heart that
did relish $hrist but 5hat $hrist belonged to that heart. !8 thou
hast been 8eeding on Him, and He is s5eet to thee, go on 8easting,
8or He 5ho ga7e thee a relish gi7es thee Himsel8 to satis8y thine
appetite.
Bhat are the 8ruits 5hich come 8rom $hristG )re they not
peace 5ith .od, rene5al o8 heart, <oy in the Holy .host, lo7e to
the brethrenG )re they not regeneration, <usti8ication,
sancti8ication, adoption, and all the blessings o8 the co7enant o8
graceG )nd are they not each and all s5eet to our tasteG )s 5e
ha7e 8ed upon them, ha7e 5e not said, -es, these things are
pleasant indeed. There is none li=e them. "et us li7e upon them
e7ermoreG (o5, sit do5n, sit do5n and 8eed. !t seems a strange
thing that 5e should ha7e to persuade people to do that, but in
the spiritual 5orld things are 7ery di88erent 8rom 5hat they are
in the natural. !n the case o8 most men, i8 you put a <oint o8
meat be8ore them, and a =ni8e and 8or=, they do not need many
arguments to persuade them to 8all to. ,ut ! 5ill tell you 5hen
they 5ill not do it, and that is 5hen they are 8ull@ and ! 5ill
also tell you 5hen they 5ill do it, and that is 5hen they are
hungry. #7en so, i8 thy soul is 5eary a8ter $hrist the *a7iour,
thou 5ilt 8eed on Him: but i8 not, it is useless 8or me to preach
to thee, or bid thee come. Ho5e7er, thou that art there, sitting
under His shado5, thou mayest hear Him utter these 5ords@ #at, %
8riend@ drin=, yea, drin= abundantly. Thou canst not ha7e too
much o8 these good things@ the more o8 $hrist, the better the
$hristian.
Be =no5 that the spouse 8easted hersel8 right heartily 5ith
this 8ood 8rom the tree o8 li8e, 8or 0in a8ter days she 5anted
more0. Bill you =indly read on in the 8ourth 7erseG The 7erse
5hich contains our text describes, as it 5ere, her 8irst lo7e to
her "ord, her country lo7e, her rustic lo7e. *he 5ent to the 5ood,
and she 8ound Him there li=e an apple tree, and she en<oyed Him as
one relishes a ripe apple in the country. ,ut she gre5 in grace,
she learned more o8 her "ord, and she 8ound that her ,est9belo7ed
5as a Hing. ! should not 5onder but 5hat she learned the doctrine
o8 the *econd )d7ent, 8or then she began to sing, He brought me
to the ban;ueting house. )s much as to say,99He did not merely
let me =no5 Him out in the 8ields as the $hrist in His
humiliation, but He brought me into the royal palace: and, since
He is a Hing, He brought 8orth a banner 5ith His o5n bra7e
escutcheon, and He 5a7ed it o7er me 5hile ! 5as sitting at the
table, and the motto o8 that banneret 5as lo7e.
*he gre5 7ery 8ull o8 this. !t 5as such a grand thing to 8ind
a great *a7iour, a triumphant *a7iour, an exalted *a7iourI ,ut it
5as too much 8or her, and she became sic= o8 soul 5ith the
excessi7e glory o8 5hat she had learned: and do you see 5hat her
heart cra7es 8orG *he longs 8or her 8irst simple <oys, those
countri8ied delights. $om8ort me 5ith apples, she says. (othing
but the old <oys 5ill re7i7e her. Did you e7er 8eel li=e thatG !
ha7e been satiated 5ith delight in the lo7e o8 $hrist as a
glorious exalted *a7iour 5hen ! ha7e seen Him riding on His 5hite
horse, and going 8orth con;uering and to con;uer: ! ha7e been
o7er5helmed 5hen ! ha7e beheld Him in the midst o8 the throne,
5ith all the brilliant assembly o8 angels and archangels adoring
Him, and my thought has gone 8or5ard to the day 5hen He shall
descend 5ith all the pomp o8 .od, and ma=e all =ings and princes
shrin= into nothingness be8ore the in8inite ma<esty o8 His glory.
Then ! ha7e 8elt as though, at the sight o8 Him, ! must 8all at
His 8eet as dead: and ! ha7e 5anted somebody to come and tell me
o7er again the old, old story o8 ho5 He died in order that !
might be sa7ed. His throne o7erpo5ers me, let me gather 8ruit 8rom
His cross. ,ring me apples 8rom the tree again. ! am a5e9struc=
5hile in the palace, let me get a5ay to the 5oods again. .i7e me
an apple pluc=ed 8rom the tree, such as ! ha7e gi7en out to boys
and girls in His 8amily, such an apple as this, $ome unto &e all
ye that labour and are hea7y laden, and ! 5ill gi7e you rest. %r
this@ This man recei7eth sinners. .i7e me a promise 8rom the
bas=et o8 the co7enant. .i7e me the simplicity o8 $hrist, let me
be a child and 8east on apples again, i8 Cesus be the apple tree.
! 5ould 8ain go bac= to $hrist on the tree in my stead, $hrist
o7ershado5ing me, $hrist 8eeding me. This is the happiest state to
li7e in. "ord, e7ermore gi7e us these applesI -ou recollect the
old story 5e told, years ago, o8 Cac= the huc=ster 5ho used to
sing,99
!6m a poor sinner, and nothing at all,
,ut Cesus $hrist is my all in all.
Those 5ho =ne5 him 5ere astonished at his constant composure.
They had a 5orld o8 doubts and 8ears, and so they as=ed him 5hy he
ne7er doubted. Bell, said he, ! can6t doubt but 5hat ! am a
poor sinner, and nothing at all, 8or ! =no5 that, and 8eel it
e7ery day. )nd 5hy should ! doubt that Cesus $hrist is my all in
allG 8or He says He is. %hI said his ;uestioner, ! ha7e my ups
and do5ns. ! don6t, says Cac=: ! can ne7er go up, 8or ! am a
poor sinner, and nothing at all: and ! cannot go do5n, 8or Cesus
$hrist is my all in all. He 5anted to <oin the church, and they
said he must tell his experience. He said, )ll my experience is
that ! am a poor sinner, and nothing at all, and Cesus $hrist is
my all in all. Bell, they said, 5hen you come be8ore the
church9meeting, the minister may as= you ;uestions. ! can6t help
it, said Cac=, all ! =no5 ! 5ill tell you: and that is all !
=no5,99
6!6m a poor sinner, and nothing at all,
,ut Cesus $hrist is my all in all.6
He 5as admitted into the church, and continued 5ith the
brethren, 5al=ing in holiness: but that 5as still all his
experience, and you could not get him beyond it. Bhy, said one
brother, ! sometimes 8eel so 8ull o8 grace, ! 8eel so ad7anced in
sancti8ication, that ! begin to be 7ery happy. ! ne7er do, said
Cac=: ! am a poor sinner, and nothing at all. ,ut then, said
the other, ! go do5n again, and thin= ! am not sa7ed, because !
am not as sancti8ied as ! used to be. ,ut ! ne7er doubt my
sal7ation, said Cac=, because Cesus $hrist is my all in all, and
He ne7er alters. That simple story is grandly instructi7e, 8or it
sets 8orth a plain man6s 8aith in a plain sal7ation: it is the
li=eness o8 a soul under the apple tree, resting in the shade, and
8easting on the 8ruit.
(o5, at this time ! 5ant you to thin= o8 Cesus, not as a
Prince, but as an apple tree: and 5hen this is done, ! pray you to
0sit do5n under His shado50. !t is not much to do. )ny child, 5hen
it is hot, can sit do5n in a shado5. ! 5ant you next to 8eed on
Cesus@ any simpleton can eat apples 5hen they are ripe upon the
tree. $ome and ta=e $hrist, then. -ou 5ho ne7er came be8ore, come
no5. $ome and 5elcome. -ou 5ho ha7e come o8ten, and ha7e entered
into the palace, and are reclining at the ban;ueting table, you
lords and peers o8 $hristianity, come to the common 5ood and to
the common apple tree 5here poor saints are shaded and 8ed. -ou
had better come under the apple tree, li=e poor sinners such as !
am, and be once more shaded 5ith boughs and com8orted 5ith apples,
8or else you may 8aint beneath the palace glories. The best o8
saints are ne7er better than 5hen they eat their 8irst 8are, and
are com8orted 5ith the apples 5hich 5ere their 8irst gospel 8east.
The "ord Himsel8 bring 8orth His o5n s5eet 8ruit to youI
)men.
%>#+ TH# &%'(T)!(*.
&y ,elo7ed is mine, and ! am His@ He 8eedeth among the
lilies. 'ntil the day brea=, and the shado5s 8lee a5ay, turn, my
,elo7ed, and be Thou li=e a roe or a young hart upon the mountains
o8 ,ether.99*olomon6s *ong ii. 13, 1A.
!T may be that there are saints 5ho are al5ays at their best, and
are happy enough ne7er to lose the light o8 their 4ather6s
countenance. ! am not sure that there are such persons, 8or those
belie7ers 5ith 5hom ! ha7e been most intimate ha7e had a 7aried
experience: and those 5hom ! ha7e =no5n, 5ho ha7e boasted o8 their
constant per8ectness, ha7e not been the most reliable o8
indi7iduals. ! hope there is a spiritual region attainable 5here
there are no clouds to hide the *un o8 our soul: but ! cannot
spea= 5ith positi7eness, 8or ! ha7e not tra7ersed that happy land.
#7ery year o8 my li8e has had a 5inter as 5ell as a summer, and
e7ery day its night. ! ha7e hitherto seen clear shinings and hea7y
rains, and 8elt 5arm breezes and 8ierce 5inds. *pea=ing 8or the
many o8 my brethren, ! con8ess that though the substance be in us,
as in the teil9tree and the oa=, yet 5e do lose our lea7es, and
the sap 5ithin us does not 8lo5 5ith e;ual 7igour at all seasons.
Be ha7e our do5ns as 5ell as our ups, our 7alleys as 5ell as our
hills. Be are not al5ays re<oicing: 5e are sometimes in hea7iness
through mani8old trials. )lasI 5e are grie7ed to con8ess that our
8ello5ship 5ith the Bell9belo7ed is not al5ays that o8 rapturous
delight: but 5e ha7e at times to see= Him, and cry, %h, that !
=ne5 5here ! might 8ind HimI This appears to me to ha7e been in a
measure the condition o8 the spouse 5hen she cried, 'ntil the day
brea=, and the shado5s 8lee a5ay, turn, my ,elo7ed.
!. These 5ords teach us, 8irst, that communion may be bro=en.
The spouse had lost the company o8 her ,ridegroom@ conscious
communion 5ith Him 5as gone, though she lo7ed her "ord, and sighed
8or Him. !n her loneliness she 5as sorro58ul: but 0she had by no
means ceased to lo7e Him0, 8or she calls Him her ,elo7ed, and
spea=s as one 5ho 8elt no doubt upon that point. "o7e to the "ord
Cesus may be ;uite as true, and perhaps ;uite as strong, 5hen 5e
sit in dar=ness as 5hen 5e 5al= in the light. (ay, 0she had not
last her assurance o8 His lo7e to her0, and o8 their mutual
interest in one another: 8or she says, &y ,elo7ed is mine, and !
am His: and yet she adds, Turn, my ,elo7ed. The condition o8
our graces does not al5ays coincide 5ith the state o8 our <oys. Be
may be rich in 8aith and lo7e, and yet ha7e so lo5 an esteem o8
oursel7es as to be much depressed.
!t is plain, 8rom this *acred $anticle, that the spouse may
lo7e and be lo7ed, may be con8ident in her "ord, and be 8ully
assured o8 her possession o8 Him, and yet there may 8or the
present be mountains bet5een her and Him. -es, 5e may e7en be 8ar
ad7anced in the di7ine li8e, and yet be exiled 8or a 5hile 8rom
conscious 8ello5ship. There are nights 8or men as 5ell as babes,
and the strong =no5 that the sun is hidden ;uite as 5ell as do the
sic= and the 8eeble. Do not, there8ore, condemn yoursel8, my
brother, because a cloud is o7er you: cast not a5ay your
con8idence: but the rather let 8aith burn up in the gloom, and let
your lo7e resol7e to come at your "ord again 5hate7er be the
barriers 5hich di7ide you 8rom Him.
Bhen Cesus is absent 8rom a true heir o8 hea7en, sorro5 5ill
ensue. The healthier our condition, the sooner 5ill that absence
be percei7ed, and the more deeply 5ill it be lamented. This sorro5
is described in the text as dar=ness: this is implied in the
expression, 0'ntil the day brea=0. Till $hrist appears, no day
has da5ned 8or us. Be d5ell in midnight dar=ness: the stars o8 the
promises and the moon o8 experience yield no light o8 com8ort till
our "ord, li=e the sun, arises and ends the night. Be must ha7e
$hrist 5ith us, or 5e are benighted@ 5e grope li=e blind men 8or
the 5all, and 5ander in dismay.
The spouse also spea=s o8 shado5s. 'ntil the day brea=, 0and
the shado5s 8lee a5ay0. *hado5s are multiplied by the departure
o8 the sun, and these are apt to distress the timid. Be are not
a8raid o8 real enemies 5hen Cesus is 5ith us: but 5hen 5e miss
Him, 5e tremble at a shade. Ho5 s5eet is that song, -ea, though !
5al= through the 7alley o8 the shado5 o8 death, ! 5ill 8ear no
e7il@ 8or Thou art 5ith me: Thy rod and Thy sta88 they com8ort
meI ,ut 5e change our note 5hen midnight is no5 come, and Cesus
is not 5ith us@ then 5e people the night 5ith terrors@ spectres,
demons, hobgoblins, and things that ne7er existed sa7e in 8ancy,
are apt to s5arm about us: and 5e are in 8ear 5here no 8ear is.
The spouse6s 5orst trouble 5as that 0the bac= o8 her ,elo7ed
5as turned to her0, and so she cried, Turn, my ,elo7ed. Bhen His
8ace is to5ards her, she suns hersel8 in His lo7e: but i8 the
light o8 His countenance is 5ithdra5n, she is sorely troubled. %ur
"ord turns His 8ace 8rom His people though He ne7er turns His
heart 8rom His people. He may e7en close His eyes in sleep 5hen
the 7essel is tossed by the tempest, but His heart is a5a=e all
the 5hile. *till, it is pain enough to ha7e grie7ed Him in any
degree@ it cuts us to the ;uic= to thin= that 5e ha7e 5ounded His
tender heart. He is <ealous, but ne7er 5ithout cause. !8 He turns
His bac= upon us 8or a 5hile, He has doubtless a more than
su88icient reason. He 5ould not 5al= contrary to us i8 5e had not
5al=ed contrary to Him. )h, it is sad 5or= thisI The presence o8
the "ord ma=es this li8e the pre8ace to the li8e celestial: but
His absence lea7es us pining and 8ainting, neither doth any
com8ort remain in the land o8 our banishment. The *criptures and
the ordinances, pri7ate de7otion and public 5orship, are all as
sun9dials,99most excellent 5hen the sun shines, but o8 small a7ail
in the dar=. % "ord Cesus, nothing can compensate us 8or Thy lossI
Dra5 near to Thy belo7ed yet again, 8or 5ithout Thee our night
5ill ne7er end.
*eeI ! repent, and 7ex my soul,
That ! should lea7e Thee soI
Bhere 5ill those 7ile a88ections roll
That let my *a7iour goG
Bhen communion 5ith $hrist is bro=en, in all true hearts
0there is a strong desire to 5in it bac= again0. The man 5ho has
=no5n the <oy o8 communion 5ith $hrist, i8 he loses it, 5ill ne7er
be content until it is restored. Hast thou e7er entertained the
Prince #mmanuelG !s He gone else5hereG Thy chamber 5ill be dreary
till He comes bac= again. .i7e me $hrist or else ! die, is the
cry o8 e7ery spirit that has lost, the dear companionship o8
Cesus. Be do not part 5ith such hea7enly delights 5ithout many a
pang. !t is not 5ith us a matter o8 maybe He 5ill return, and 5e
hope He 5ill: but it must be, or 5e 8aint and die. Be cannot li7e
5ithout Him: and this is a cheering sign: 8or the soul that cannot
li7e 5ithout Him shall not li7e 5ithout Him@ He comes speedily
5here li8e and death hang on His coming. !8 you must ha7e $hrist
you shall ha7e Him. This is <ust ho5 the matter stands@ 5e must
drin= o8 this 5ell or die o8 thirst: 5e must 8eed upon Cesus or
our spirit 5ill 8amish.
!!. Be 5ill no5 ad7ance a step, and say that 5hen communion
5ith $hrist is bro=en, there are great di88iculties in the 5ay o8
its rene5al. !t is much easier to go do5n hill than to climb to
the same height again. !t is 8ar easier to lose <oy in .od than to
8ind the lost <e5el. The spouse spea=s o8 mountains di7iding her
8rom her ,elo7ed@ she means that 0the di88iculties 5ere great0.
They 5ere not little hills, but mountains, that closed up her 5ay.
&ountains o8 remembered sin, )lps o8 bac=sliding, dread ranges o8
8orget8ulness, ingratitude, 5orldliness, coldness in prayer,
8ri7olity, pride, unbelie8. )h me, ! cannot teach you all the dar=
geography o8 this sad experienceI .iant 5alls rose be8ore her li=e
the to5ering steeps o8 "ebanon. Ho5 could she come at her ,elo7edG
0The di7iding di88iculties 5ere many0 as 5ell as great. *he
does not spea= o8 a mountain, but o8 mountains@ )lps rose on
)lps, 5all a8ter 5all. *he 5as distressed to thin= that in so
short a time so much could come bet5een her and Him o8 5hom she
sang <ust no5, His le8t hand is under my head, and His right hand
doth embrace me. )las, 5e multiply these mountains o8 ,ether 5ith
a sad rapidityI %ur "ord is <ealous, and 5e gi7e Him 8ar too much
reason, 8or hiding His 8ace. ) 8ault, 5hich seemed so small at the
time 5e committed it, is seen in the light o8 its o5n
conse;uences, and then it gro5s and s5ells till it to5ers alo8t,
and hides the 8ace o8 the ,elo7ed. Then has our sun gone do5n, and
8ear 5hispers, Bill His light e7er returnG Bill it e7er be
daybrea=G Bill the shado5s e7er 8lee a5ayG !t is easy to grie7e
a5ay the hea7enly sunlight, but ah, ho5 hard to clear the s=ies,
and regain the unclouded brightnessI
Perhaps the 5orst thought o8 all to the spouse 5as the dread
that 0the di7iding barrier might be permanent0. !t 5as high, but
it might dissol7e: the 5alls 5ere many, but they might 8all: but,
alas, they 5ere mountains, and these stand 8ast 8or agesI *he 8elt
li=e the Psalmist, 5hen he cried, &y sin is e7er be8ore me. The
pain o8 our "ord6s absence becomes@ intolerable 5hen 5e 8ear that
5e are hopelessly shut out 8rom Him. ) night one can bear, hoping
8or the morning: but 5hat i8 the day should ne7er brea=G )nd you
and !, i8 5e ha7e 5andered a5ay 8rom $hrist, and 8eel that there
are ranges o8 immo7able mountains bet5een Him and us, 5ill 8eel
sic= at heart. Be try to pray, but de7otion dies on our lips. Be
attempt to approach the "ord at the communion table, but 5e 8eel
more li=e Cudas than Cohn. )t such times 5e ha7e 8elt that 5e
5ould gi7e our eyes once more to behold the ,ridegroom6s 8ace, and
to =no5 that He delights in us as in happier days. *till there
stand the a58ul mountains, blac=, threatening, impassable: and in
the 8ar9o88 land the "i8e o8 our li8e is a5ay, and grie7ed.
*o the spouse seems to ha7e come to the conclusion that 0the
di88iculties in her 5ay 5ere insurmountable by her o5n po5er0. *he
does not e7en thin= o8 hersel8 going o7er the mountains to her
,elo7ed, but she cries, 'ntil the day brea=, and the shado5s 8lee
a5ay, turn, my ,elo7ed, and be Thou li=e a roe or a young hart
upon the mountains o8 ,ether. *he 5ill not try to climb the
mountains, she =no5s she cannot@ i8 they had been less high, she
might ha7e attempted it: but their summits reach to hea7en. !8
they had been less craggy or di88icult, she might ha7e tried to
scale them: but these mountains are terrible, and no 8oot may
stand upon their lone crags. %h, the mercy o8 utter sel89despairI
! lo7e to see a soul dri7en into that close corner, and 8orced
there8ore to loo= to .od alone. The end o8 the creature is the
beginning o8 the $reator. Bhere the sinner ends the *a7iour
begins. !8 the mountains can be climbed, 5e shall ha7e to climb
them: but i8 they are ;uite impassable, then the soul cries out
5ith the prophet, %h, that Thou 5ouldest rend the hea7ens, that
Thou 5ouldest come do5n, that the mountains might 8lo5 do5n at Thy
presence. )s 5hen the melting 8ire burneth, the 8ire causeth the
5aters to boil, to ma=e Thy name =no5n to Thine ad7ersaries, that
the nations may tremble at Thy presence. Bhen Thou didst terrible
things 5hich 5e loo=ed not 8or, Thou camest do5n, the mountains
8lo5ed do5n at Thy presence. %ur souls are lame, they cannot mo7e
to $hrist, and 5e turn our strong desires to Him, and 8ix our
hopes alone upon Him: 5ill He not remember us in lo7e, and 8ly to
us as He did to His ser7ant o8 old 5hen He rode upon a cherub, and
did 8ly, yea, He did 8ly upon the 5ings o8 the 5indG
!!!. Here arises that prayer o8 the text 5hich 8ully meets
the case. Turn, my ,elo7ed, and be Thou li=e a roe or a young
hart upon the mountains o8 di7ision. Cesus can come to us 5hen 5e
cannot go to Him. The roe and the young hart, or, as you may read
it, the gazelle and the ibex, li7e among the crags o8 the
mountains, and leap across the abyss 5ith amazing agility. 4or
s5i8tness and sure98ootedness they are unri7alled. The sacred poet
said, He ma=eth my 8eet li=e hinds6 8eet, and setteth me upon my
high places, alluding to the 8eet o8 those creatures 5hich are so
8itted to stand securely on the mountain6s side. %ur blessed "ord
is called, in the title o8 the t5enty9second Psalm, the Hind o8
the morning : and the spouse in this golden $anticle sings, &y
,elo7ed is li=e a roe or a young hart: behold He cometh, leaping
upon the mountains, s=ipping upon the hills.
Here ! 5ould remind you that this prayer is one that 5e may
8airly o88er, because 0it is the 5ay o8 $hrist to come to us0 5hen
our coming to Him is out o8 the ;uestion. Ho5G say you. ! ans5er
that o8 old He did this: 8or 5e remember His great lo7e 5here5ith
He lo7ed us e7en 5hen 5e 5ere dead in trespasses and in sins. His
8irst coming into the 5orld in human 8orm, 5as it not because man
could ne7er come to .od until .od had come to himG ! hear o8 no
tears, or prayers, or entreaties a8ter .od on the part o8 our
8irst parents: but the o88ended "ord spontaneously ga7e the
promise that the *eed o8 the 5oman should bruise the serpent6s
head. %ur "ord6s coming into the 5orld 5as unbought, unsought,
unthought o8: he came altogether o8 His o5n 8ree 5ill, delighting
to redeem.
Bith pitying eyes, the Prince o8 grace
,eheld our helpless grie8:
He sa5, and /oh, amazing lo7eI1
He ran to our relie8.
His incarnation 5as a type o8 the 5ay in 5hich He comes to us
by His *pirit. He sa5 us cast out, polluted, shame8ul, perishing:
and as He passed by, His tender lips said, "i7eI !n us is
8ul8illed that 5ord, ! am 8ound o8 them that sought &e not. Be
5ere too a7erse to holiness, too much in bondage to sin, e7er to
ha7e returned to Him i8 He had not turned to us. Bhat thin= youG
Did He come to us 5hen 5e 5ere enemies, and 5ill He not 7isit us
no5 that 5e are 8riendsG Did He come to us 5hen 5e 5ere dead
sinners, and 5ill He not hear us no5 that 5e are 5eeping saintsG
!8 $hrist6s coming to the earth 5as a8ter this manner, and i8 His
coming to each one o8 us 5as a8ter this style, 5e may 5ell hope
that no5 He 5ill come to us in li=e 8ashion, li=e the de5 5hich
re8reshes the grass, and 5aiteth not 8or man, neither tarrieth 8or
the sons o8 men. ,esides, He is coming again in person, in the
latter9day, and mountains o8 sin, and error, and idolatry, and
superstition, and oppression stand in the 5ay o8 His =ingdom: but
He 5ill surely come and o7erturn, and o7erturn, till He shall
reign o7er all. He 5ill come in the latter9days, ! say, though He
shall leap the hills to do it, and because o8 that ! am sure 5e
may com8ortably conclude that He 5ill dra5 near to us 5ho mourn
His absence so bitterly. Then let us bo5 our heads a moment, and
silently present to His most excellent &a<esty the petition o8 our
text@ Turn, my ,elo7ed, and be Thou li=e a roe or a young hart
upon the mountains o8 di7ision.
%ur text gi7es us s5eet assurance that 0our "ord is at home
5ith those di88iculties0 5hich are ;uite insurmountable by us.
Cust as the roe or the young hart =no5s the passes o8 the
mountains, and the stepping9places among the rugged roc=s, and is
7oid o8 all 8ear among the ra7ines and the precipices, so does our
"ord =no5 the heights and depths, the torrents and the ca7erns o8
our sin and sorro5. He carried the 5hole o8 our transgression, and
so became a5are o8 the tremendous load o8 our guilt. He is ;uite
at home 5ith the in8irmities o8 our nature: He =ne5 temptation in
the 5ilderness, heart9brea= in the garden, desertion on the cross.
He is ;uite at home 5ith pain and 5ea=ness, 8or Himsel8 too= our
in8irmities, and bare our sic=nesses. He is at home 5ith
despondency, 8or He 5as a &an o8 sorro5s, and ac;uainted 5ith
grie8. He is at home e7en 5ith death, 8or He ga7e up the ghost,
and passed through the sepulchre to resurrection. % ya5ning gul8s
and 8ro5ning steeps o8 5oe, our ,elo7ed, li=e hind or hart, has
tra7ersed your gloomsI % my "ord, Thou =no5est all that di7ides me
8rom Thee: and Thou =no5est also that ! am 8ar too 8eeble to climb
these di7iding mountains, so that ! may come at Thee: there8ore, !
pray Thee, come Thou o7er the mountains to meet my longing spiritI
Thou =no5est each ya5ning gul8 and slippery steep, but none o8
these can stay Thee: haste Thou to me, Thy ser7ant, Thy belo7ed,
and let me again li7e by Thy presence.
0!t is easy, too, 8or $hrist to come o7er the mountains 8or
our relie80. !t is easy 8or the gazelle to cross the mountains, it
is made 8or that end: so is it easy 8or Cesus, 8or to this purpose
5as He ordained 8rom o8 old that He might come to man in his 5orst
estate, and bring 5ith Him the 4ather6s lo7e. Bhat is it that
separates us 8rom $hristG !s it a sense o8 sinG -ou ha7e been
pardoned once, and Cesus can rene5 most 7i7idly a sense o8 8ull
8orgi7eness. ,ut you say, )lasI ! ha7e sinned again@ 8resh guilt
alarms me. He can remo7e it in an instant, 8or the 8ountain
appointed 8or that purpose is opened, and is still 8ull. !t is
easy 8or the dear lips o8 redeeming lo7e to put a5ay the child6s
o88ences, since He has already obtained pardon 8or the criminal6s
ini;uities. !8 5ith His heart6s blood He 5on our pardon 8rom our
Cudge, he can easily enough bring us the 8orgi7eness o8 our
4ather. %h, yes, it is easy enough 8or $hrist to say again, Thy
sins be 8orgi7enI ,ut ! 8eel so un8it, so unable to en<oy
communion. He that healed all manner o8 bodily diseases can heal
5ith a 5ord your spiritual in8irmities. +emember the man 5hose
an=le9bones recei7ed strength, so that he ran and leaped: and her
5ho 5as sic= o8 a 8e7er, and 5as healed at once, and arose, and
ministered unto her "ord. &y grace is su88icient 8or thee: 8or &y
strength is made per8ect in 5ea=ness. ,ut ! ha7e such
a88lictions, such troubles, such sorro5s, that ! am 5eighted do5n,
and cannot rise into <oy8ul 8ello5ship. -es, but Cesus can ma=e
e7ery burden light, and cause each yo=e to be easy. -our trials
can be made to aid yo
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