Section 651
II. Let us consider the charge itself, which is given to them by her
And that is to tell her beloved, when they found him, that she was sick of love. This does not suppose that he was ignorant or unmindful of her present state; he heard her, though he would not answer; he knew that she was inquiring after him, and what hardships she underwent in doing it; and also, how much her soul was filled with love to him, and longed for the enjoyment of him; though he would not immediately show himself, intending a little longer to chastise her for her former carriage to him: but the words shew the ardency of her love to Christ, and that she would have them declare this to him, in their prayers for her, which she thought might be a means to induce him to manifest himself to her; as also they show what familiarity souls may use at the throne of grace what freedom they may take with Christ, when they come into his presence, "tell him that I am sick of love." They may tell him their own cases, and the cases of others, as one friend may tell another, or as a child may tell its father; they may go with boldness to him, and spread their own and others cases before him, without fear of being chided or upbraided by him; and indeed it is their duty to bear upon their minds, at the throne of grace, not only their own cases, and the cases of the churches in general, as the apostle Paul frequently did; but also the cases of particular persons, whom they know to be in distress; therefore Christ taught his disciples to pray after this manner, "Our Father, etc. and forgive us our debts, etc." to show that they should be concerned for others in prayer, as well as for themselves. The words in the Hebrew text may be rendered thus, "What shall ye, or should ye tell him?"[3931] as if she should say, Do not tell him the blows and wounds that I have received from the watchmen; nor desire him to revenge the injuries and affronts they have given me, I freely forgive them; nor am I so much concerned at the sufferings that I undergo, as I am for the loss of him: "What shall ye tell him ?" Tell him that which lies most upon my heart, under which I shall sink and die, if he does not relieve me; "tell him that I am sick of love." Again, What shall ye tell him? Tell him that which will be the most acceptable and agreeable to him; tell him I love him so, that I cannot live without him: she knew that he valued her love, and that his heart would be ravished with it, from what he had said, Song of Solomon 4:9, 10 and therefore would have this told him. Again, "What shall ye tell him?" What shall I say to you to tell him? I have a great many things to tell him of; but I will not overburden your memories, but I will give you my mind in a few words, in the most concise manner, "tell him that I am sick of love;" and when I meet with him myself, I will tell him all my mind; but for the present, only tell him this. But let us a little more particularly consider the matter of this charge, or what the church would have the daughters of Jerusalem tell Christ, when they found him; which is, that she was "sick of love." And it will be proper to inquire,
1st, The causes of this sickness; which sometimes are, 1. A want of the views of pardoning grace, under a sense of sin, which perhaps was the case of the church here; she had sinned against Christ, in neglecting to arise and open to him; and she was now sensible of it, but wanted the manifestations of pardon; and was therefore in a languishing and fainting condition on the account of it; and it is only this which will cure this sickness: "The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick;" Why so? "the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity;" that is, they shall have the manifestations of pardoning grace to their souls, which shall cure them of their sicknesses and maladies; which was what the church here wanted. 2. The absence of Christ is sometimes the cause of this sickness; and this also was the church's case: Christ had "withdrawn himself from her, and was gone, as in Song of Solomon 5:6, and though she had diligently sought him, yet she could not find him, nor hear any thing of him; and this brought this sickness upon her. 3. An eager longing after Christ's presence, and the discoveries of his love, is another cause of it: when a soul has sought Christ a long time in ordinances, and cannot find him; has lived in the hope and expectation of enjoying his presence time after time, and yet is still at a loss for him, then comes this sickness upon it; for, as Solomon says (Proverbs 13:12), "hope deferred maketh the heart sick." 4. Sometimes the large discoveries of love which believers have, cause a sickness, which may be called a love-sickness; and this is what the church speaks of, in Song of Solomon 2:5, "stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples; for I am sick of love:" she had been with Christ in his wine-cellar or banqueting-house, and had as much of his love let into her soul, as sloe could hold, nay, more; she was overpowered with it; "his banner over" her had been love. But this was not the church's case here; her sickness here arises rather from the aforesaid causes, and chiefly from a want of that love which she had such large discoveries of there.
2dly, It may not be amiss to consider the nature and properties of this sickness. And, 1. It is not a sickness unto death; none ever died of this sickness; Christ will never suffer any to die with love for him; for he "loves them that love him," and will cause them "to inherit substance;" to enjoy himself, the substance of all felicity; and to inherit eternal glory, which is the better and the "more enduring substance;" where they shall have sweet and uninterrupted communion with him. Yet, 2. It is a very sore and painful sickness; like Hezekiah's, it is a pining one; and oftentimes wastes the body, as well as affects the mind: The Septuagint render it, "for I am wounded with love;" which gave her a great deal of pain and uneasiness; for "love is as strong as death." 3. It is an immedicable sickness without the enjoyment of Christ, the object loved; bodily physicians cannot cure it; these are in this case, like Job's physicians, of no value; merry companions are of no service to remove it; the enjoyment of another beloved will not do; the language of a soul in such a case, is, None but Christ, none but Christ; give me Christ, or I die; I cannot live without him: this sickness can only be cured by the object loved, and this infallibly cures; for, "as hope deferred maketh the heart sick, so when the desire cometh it is a tree of life."
3rdly, We may now consider the evidences of this love-sickness, or how it manifests itself: and, 1. There is in souls that labor under it, a violent pulsation and punting of the heart after Christ, even "as the heart panteth after the water-brooks;" they are restless and uneasy without him; their thoughts are continually running upon him; the desire of their souls, night and day, "is to his name, and to the remembrance of him." 2. They are prodigious jealous of him and his love; and this is exceeding afflicting to them; for "jealousy is as cruel as the grave:" they are exceedingly afraid that he does not love them or that he loves others better than them; for, as the poet[3932] says, Res est soliciti plena timoris amor. 3. They are very active and diligent, careful and industrious to gain his love; they use all the methods and stratagems they can devise; are bold and resolute, are not discouraged at any difficulties, bat are willing to run all risks for the enjoyment of him. 4. They love to hear his name mentioned, and especially to be spoken well of; his name to them is "as ointment poured forth," exceeding grateful; it attracts their love, "therefore do the virgins love" him; they love his ways, his ordinances and his doctrines, and cannot bear to hear them spoken against; they love to look upon and converse with his people, because they are like him, and bear a resemblance to him.