Use II: For Exhortation and Direction

1. To those that do at present stand in the light of God's countenance: the consideration of the truth in hand, will afford matter of serious and seasonable advice to such; and because all do not enjoy this in the same manner, or to the same degree, nor are in all circumstances alike, I shall endeavour to adapt the counsel to be offered, to several circumstances.

1. To such as have had a clear and comfortable apprehension of God's love, ever since their Conversion. God saw meet to give them eminent discoveries of his grace, in bringing them to Christ, and working the great change [illegible] them, and did set the seal of it so [illegible] that they clearly discerned it, and they have maintained the comfort of [illegible] still, by a continued communion with God. There are some whom God so treats; and to such let me say.

1. Acknowledge this as a great favor, with singular thankfulness. Let God have the praise of it, do you find comfort in it? Remember it is his gift, and he does not bestow it upon all on whom he has conferred saving grace; think how many drooping souls there are, who do truly fear God, and would give a world, if it were in their dispose, that they might enjoy the serenity that you do. And let this put you upon studying how you may shew your gratitude to God for it; let it put you often upon making that enquiry, which David did on a like account (Psalms 116:12): What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me?

2. Carry it very humbly; beware of being lifted up in your minds with this privilege. There is a pride remaining in the best; and its most dangerous efforts are in respect of the best things, in the children of God. As to poor carnal minds, which know no better, they are apt to be proud of their wealth, strength, beauty, bravery, &c. which possibly you can look upon with a great deal of contempt: but God's children are in hazard of being proud of their spiritual gifts, and graces, and comforts too. You will be tempted to think that there was some peculiar worth in you, which God observed, which made him to be so familiar with you: but take heed; say as (Psalms 115:1), Not to us, &c. And here consider, that there is nothing which will sooner provoke God to alter his carriage towards you, than pride and self conceitedness: remember what he has said (Isaiah 57:15), I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit: this humble carriage is the most likely course to enjoy the continuance of such a favor.

3. Walk very circumspectly. You have heard that you are not out of the danger of being deserted; and that usually the great reason of God's hiding his face, is some licentiousness in his children; they grow remiss, and neglect their spiritual watch: such was the case of the Spouse, in Canticles 5. Take heed then to yourselves: it is the Apostle's advice (1 Peter 1:17), if you call on the Father, &c. pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. Certainly, if you would have God to walk with you, it concerns you to be very careful to walk with him: if that be comfortable, let it be a memento to you, to beware how you displease him, by drowsiness in your watch, or by an ungirt conversation in the world.

4. Take heed of saying, you shall never be moved. Take warning by David here; you may see in his example how dangerous a thing it is to draw such a conclusion from your present sense. God will have his children to know, that the preserving of their comfort depends on his pleasure; and would have them to be expecting changes every day, and be put upon carefully providing for them. Know it, if you grow secure and presumptuous in this regard, you are in all likelihood, not far from some fearful desertion: consider, that all which you can be positive in, is only that in (Psalms 73:24), you shall guide me by counsel, and afterward receive me to glory; as for all the circumstances of the way in which he will conduct you, it is entirely at his dispose.

5. Carry it very tenderly toward such as want this light. If you begin to despise such as are under sad withdrawings, and full of their bitter complaints, your Father will take it very ill at your hands: they are as dear to him as you are; and he can easily shift his providences, and set them in your light, and bring you into their darkness; and it will be a righteous thing for him so to do, if you thus insult over them. Pity them, and adore the loving kindness of God to you the more, when you see that all his precious ones are not so favoured: and be ready to impart your help to them at all times, as considering that you know not how soon the time may come, when you may stand in need of theirs.

2. To such as, after much darkness and distress, are gotten into the light. There are those whom God sees meet to keep under a cloud a great while; they seek him, but they cannot find him; they cry after him, but he does not shew himself to them, so as to let them apprehend his love, and discern the smiles of his countenance to their consolation: but after long waiting, and praying, and groaning, and many a longing look; at length he comes and darts in his refreshing light into them, with which he makes them glad, and their souls are abundantly satisfied with it: to such as these let me offer these counsels.

1. Acknowledge that it is God's free grace that he comes at last. Account yourselves well rewarded for all your waiting; and be so far from murmuring against him that he came no sooner, as to admire at his undeserved kindness that he would come at all. Let him then be entertained with all the testimonies of an heart ravished with his favor, and abundantly satisfied in his company: give him therefore all the welcome that possibly may be; express your gratitude to the highest: let it now be seen in your whole carriage, that this change has produced an answerable frame in your minds according as David tells us his did (Context verse 11): you have turned for me my mourning into dancing: you have put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.

Be humbled for all your unsuitable carriages under God's hidings. It is now a proper time for you to be ashamed of yourselves: and doubtless, if you will look back upon that hour of temptation, you will find enough to lay you low in the remembrance of it. David did so (Psalm 77), and it is very convenient, to let us know how little we did to procure this return. Now think how injuriously you murmured and fretted at the Providence of God, how wrongfully you charged him with forgetting his Covenant, and breaking his promise; how, without reason you voted yourselves castaways, and refused counsel or comfort; how foolishly impatient you were, and short spirited, in that you could not wait for his salvation.

Beware of forgetting the former times, and falling into carnal frames. You have experienced the bitterness and temptation of a deserted condition, you have tasted the wormwood and the gall, and let your soul keep them in remembrance: there is a use to be made of them, and God expects it of you; and what is it, but to caution you how you carry it afterwards: and more peculiarly let it admonish you to take heed of such things as you have by such providences already felt the smart of. Possibly you can remember what it was that occasioned the former desertions which you have felt; let this remembrance be a monitor to you, to stand clear there, to look to yourselves with a special circumspection, that you precipitate not yourselves into the like folly afterward: if any temptation of this nature offer itself, have this in a readiness to quench it withal, this has cost me too dear, ever to yield to it again.

Labor to testify your resentment of this kindness by an answerable holy walking. How holily should they live ever after, whom God has brought out of the horrible pit, and set them upon a rock? If God has now set you in the light of his countenance, let your light shine accordingly, so that it may appear that you have intimate converse with Jesus, that the influence of his favor is accompanied with the influence of his grace, exciting all the graces in you to a more vigorous exercise. How fast should Christians grow when they live under the refreshing beams of the Sun of Righteousness irradiating of them? The Psalmist says (Psalm 92:13, 14), those that are planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of our God: they shall still bring forth fruit in their old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.

Be sure now to lay in for a dark time. It is now summer with you, and that is a season to provide in against winter; and to neglect it will be egregious folly. Christ has now taken you into his banqueting house; be sure to take this happy advantage to establish your faith, and every grace. Think there may come a spending time again, and how much it concerns you to be better stored against it comes, than formerly: Consider therefore, and suppose you hear God saying to you, as once he did to the Prophet (1 Kings 19:7), arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you. Now lay up experiences, now record the evidences which are so clearly given you of his love to you, and the confirmations of your safe and good estate; that when other witness fails, as it may, you may have this to support you then. If you neglect thus to do, it will be no small disadvantage to you in a shock of desertion, which you cannot tell how soon you may be afresh assaulted withal.

To such as for the present, have more than ordinary discoveries of Christ's love made to them. There are such seasons with some of his people, wherein he makes extraordinary visits to them, and bestows on them, not only comforting assurances, but raptures; they are as it were carried into the third heaven, and made to see and hear things that cannot be uttered; and though the transport may be soon over, yet the impressions of it may remain, and the soul continue under the joys of it: so it was with the Spouse (Canticles 2:3, 4), I sat under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste: he brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. To such let me give this counsel.

Take heed of being proud of these visits. Truly there is reason to be exceedingly glad of them; Christ does therein wonderfully manifest his love to the soul: but you have no reason to be high minded on this account: it is a free favor, and you ought to say, what am I that he should thus regard me a sinful worm? Remember that these visits are not your ordinary repast; you must have something else to live upon. It may be you never had such a treat from him before, and possibly you shall never meet with such another, till you come to be lodged in his everlasting embraces: and if you begin to be lifted up, there is a thorn ready to prick this bladder, as Paul had his for his prevention (2 Corinthians 12:7).

Expect that there is some extraordinary either service or trial near to you. God's extraordinary visits are usually to prepare us for extraordinary exercises. The time when Christ took his disciples with him into the mount was a little before he was to be taken from them, and they had hard service to engage in. When Paul was to be peculiarly used in Christ's work, and exposed to greater trials than any of the other Apostles, he had glorious visions of Christ. It is good for the children of God to rejoice with fear. Expect now to be called into the field, and to have your graces proved with great temptations. Lay in then for it, and be sure to take down by faith, large draughts of these flagons of consolation, which may be for suitable support under such trials: and helping you with resolution to go through them: this will be your best wisdom, and so shall you be prepared for such an hour.

4. To such as are conducted in a middle way. Possibly you have had no experience of the extraordinary raptures, and transporting joys that some can tell of; and on the other hand, you have not encountered those distressing plunges, and dismal [illegible] arising from grievous desertions, which others also have cried out bitterly of; but your way is more even; you are not without your fears, but yet you can hope in God's grace, and encourage your souls to trust in him, and wait for his salvation. And if sometimes there be a cloud that does a little obscure you, it is not long before a ray breaks forth and gives you light: and though you sensibly labor of infirmities, yet you are kept from great transgression, and helped in the work of God which you are engaged in: and this is likely the condition of the greatest part of God's children. To such then let me offer,

1. Believe that God is infinitely wise in his conduct. Be sure that you maintain adoring thoughts of him: judge therefore that this is the best condition for you. Reckon that your father knows what is most proper for every one of his children, and that his love manages all these concerns. Think, this is the way in which he sees meet to lead me, and I believe it is the right way; and how little cause you have to murmur that it is otherwise with some. Do not say that God deals better with them than with you: what though you do not meet with their raptures? Consider also that you are not oppressed with their desolate trials.

2. Be much in establishing your hope. God has given you a good hope; make much of it, and be always fortifying of it, and take heed of exposing it to be undermined: and in special, beware of that temptation which is sometimes urged to disquiet and disturb the minds of the children of God, namely, to question the solidity of your hope, because you have not been entertained with those horrors that others have not met withal, nor those ravishings which some talk of. Know then that those are not essential, but arbitrary. Let your care be to see that the root of the matter is in you, and that your hope is built upon the grace of God in Christ, revealed in you, and is such a hope as sets you upon the pursuit of holiness, according to (1 John 3:3). He that has this hope in him, purifies himself, as he is pure. And let this encourage you to be very faithful in serving of God, and waiting to see his salvation.

3. And let your fear produce the greater caution in you: let not your fear disturb and weaken your hope, but serve it. Let it quicken your spiritual watch, let it maintain in you a holy awe and reverence of God, and help you to look the more carefully to your ways, lest you should sin, and make you more forward and constant in working out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Let it make you to shun all the snares that are in your way, and help you in discerning them, and excite you to walk circumspectly: remember it is said in (Job 28:28), The fear of God, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.

2. To such as labor under spiritual desertions. And to such it is that our doctrine more directly points; and because it is a time wherein there are not a few who labor under these in a great measure, whose condition says as he did (Job 19:21), Have pity upon me, oh my friends, for the hand of the Lord has touched me. Let me apply this advice distinctly to such: and that way may be made more clearly to pursue this, give me leave to remove something out of the way, to prevent the mistakes which some may labor of, with respect to their true and real condition; here then,

1. To such as sometimes thought themselves converted, but were mistaken in their apprehension: and now they find trouble, and call all in question, and suppose themselves deserted: such a case may be, and possibly is more [illegible] than we are aware of; and is very hazardous. They have possibly formerly pretended to great confidence, but now they are in fear. Give me leave to lay out the case of these, and then offer them some counsel: for the discovery of such, let these things be observed.

1. There are those that have had something of a common work on them, every one has a natural conscience in him, whose nature and office is to reflect inward, and apply practical truths to one self, and this conscience is not at once hardened and seared: the Word and ordinances are accommodated to meet with men's consciences, to put them in fear, and make them solicitous: and the Spirit of God often comes in these means under which men sit, and strives, and gives them inward touches and awakenings, which puts them upon endeavors to get quiet; and though natural corruption seeks to stifle such motions, and divert them from them, and so quench the Spirit: yet they cannot always so do, but are put upon it to do something that may bring them inward peace, and nourish in them a hope that it shall go well with them; that they are reconciled to God, and shall escape his terrible indignation; so it was with them (Jeremiah 33:24).

2. But they have taken up short of a good foundation: the work has not been carried through, but has stopped in the way, and they have rested in something else, before they have come over to Christ, which has prevented their coming: and this is a frequent deceit. The conviction of some leads them to a legal reformation: they have seen some of their actual sins, and the law that has been broken by them, and the threatening out against such sins written in it, but have not been led to the fountain of original sin from which these streams do flow; and so they were never concerned for a new heart, but thought if they took up a new life, abstained from those sins in practice, & set upon the practice of neglected duties, they should herein please God, and hereupon they have pacified their consciences; this was the farthest reach of the Pharisee (Luke 18:11). Or possibly their trouble for sin has been met with the general offer of pardon, upon believing in Christ, and they have entertained it with joy, as the stony ground hearers are represented (Matthew 13:20). They accept of the offer, and now they are secure: but they never knew the utter impotency to believe which they labor of: never understood the truth of that (John 6:44), "No man can come to me, except the father that has sent me draw him;" and so they rest in a faith of their own, and have not that which is of the operation of the Spirit, being never humbled out of their own sufficiency and sovereignty.

3. Upon this they have thought that much assistance and comfort have been afforded them; they have engaged in moral and religious duties, and been carried to and through them with a great deal of pleasure and ease, and it has greatly satisfied them; and they have reckoned these for influences of grace, and joys of the Spirit; by reason whereof they have argued themselves, to a strong persuasion and high confidence that all was well with them, and have said to themselves, as Agag once did, the bitterness of death is over.

4. But now they find all this to fail them, and they are brought into a deep plunge. Now they are made to see that they can do nothing: they are either left to some foul sin, or conscience is awakened to tell them, they have deceived themselves, and that they are in the gall of bitterness; that the wrath of God is upon them, their whole profession is a mere cheat, & their building is upon the sand; and this puts them into fears, and possibly they take it for a desertion; whereas indeed it is but a discovery. In such a case as this, let me offer two things.

1. This calls you to search yourselves to the bottom: the case of such has some resemblance to that of deserted saints: when therefore it is so, the first business is a trial of ourselves throughly; and herein we must prove ourselves, whether ever we were in the faith, as they are advised (2 Corinthians 13:5), whether ever we were throughly broken off from every other object, and brought over to Christ, and built upon him: yes, and to beg of God also to search us, that we be not mistaken in the very foundation; for an error there cannot be repaired in any other way, but in laying it anew, and digging deep enough for it.

2. If you have failed here, this is a merciful dispensation to you: had God left you under these mistakes, you would have gone on securely, and dropped unawares into perdition. God has not deserted you, but made your false hopes to forsake you, that so you might in time seek a better security. This is the way in which God is wont to bring proud legalists, and carnal Gospellers home to himself. God is not going from you, but coming to you, and these are the methods of the Holy Spirit: this is the best sign that God has a purpose of everlasting love to you, and is now coming to draw you home to himself: for he will drive that soul out of self, and its own righteousness, which he will have mercy upon and save. But,

2. Our main business is with those that have indeed the root of the matter in them; have a principle of saving grace, and belong to Christ, but are under desertion. And there are two things which I shall apply myself to in respect to these.

1. To direct them how to carry it under these desertions.

2. To point what is to be done to get relief under, & deliverance from them.

1. For direction how to carry it under these desertions. There is a right behavior which God expects of his children, when he thus treats them: and it is for his honor, and our advantage, that we comply with it. And there are three things that I shall urge on this account.

1. Be sure to carry it humbly towards God. God expects it, and is now putting of this grace to the trial; let it then have its exercise, and seek to him for help herein, and for your guidance in it.

1. Adore his sovereignty: it may be your dejected and disquiet minds, are entertaining strange surmises about the providence of God in this, & leavened, as his was, in Psalms 73 and 77, but know it; if you cannot resolve yourselves in the particular reason of it, this is enough to silence and satisfy you, that it is of God, who can do no wrong, and is not to be contended with. Job was brought to this, before God had done with him: he was ready to say, behold, I am vile (chapter 40:5), and to resolve to lay his hand upon his mouth.

2. Acknowledge his righteousness: possibly you may, upon enquiry, see a sufficient reason for his so deserting of you; yes, the particular provocation that has procured it: here is enough to bring you to his foot, and put you upon humble confessing his justice and equity in his proceedings: this David aims at in our context, by telling us how his was introduced. But if you are at a loss about the particular occasion, yet you have always enough before you, if you are humble, to make you to say, God had reason enough to deal thus with me, and it is rich mercy, that he does not always do so.

3. Beware of charging him with partiality. There is an envy on this account, too apt to discover itself; such as was in Peter, when Christ had told him what trials he must encounter, is inquisitive what must befall the beloved Disciple, for which he received a rebuke (John 21:21, 22). Hence such musings are entertained: Why are these taken into familiarity with him, and I must be treated at a distance? Why do they enjoy his smiles, and I suffer his frowns? Take heed of pining; Why should your eye be evil, because his is good? Must his love be called in question by your jealousy? Or must he ask your counsel and leave how to carry it in his family?

4. Call neither his truth nor his wisdom in question on this account. Say not, how can he bring good to me out of this, or what advantage can accrue to me by it? Say not, where is now the veracity of his word which he has made me to hope in? How is this the performance of his promise? This is pride: Remember, His thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor his ways as your ways, but as high above them as the heaven is above the earth. Resolve that he is the Potter, and you the Clay, and that you will lie as such in his hand.

2. Have a care of rashly judging your own state from hence. How ready are the children of God in a dark hour, to cast off their hope, and repeal their evidences, and vote themselves hypocrites? This ought not to be, nor does it serve to the duty lying upon you at such a time, but is contrary to it. God expects that now you should not let go your hold of faith on him, but that you take the faster hold, and say as he (Job 13:15), Though he slay me, I will put my trust in him. And he (Isaiah 8:17), I will wait on the Lord, who hideth his face. And for help, Consider,

1. It is no new thing for God's children to be deserted. It ought not then to be a strange thing to you, much less an argument that because of this, you are none of his children. This stopped the Psalmist's mouth (Psalm 73:15): If I say, I will speak thus, I should offend against the generation of your children. As to the more remiss desertions, it may be said to you, as (1 Corinthians 10:13), There has no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. And if you combat with such as are more intense, and full of darkness, yet you are not without the instances of such, who were very dear to God. There can then be no such conclusion safely built on this argument: it cannot amount to a demonstration, since this is one part of the way in which God leads his own to glory.

2. There may be grace where there wants light: it is true, a child of God cannot see or read it, when the light is taken from him: but possibly he has read it, when he enjoyed this light: and the withdrawing of it from him does not make any alteration in his state, though it does in his sense of it. This therefore ought not to beat you off from your former experiences, but calls you rather more carefully to improve them, as he (Psalm 77:10, 11), I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high, I will remember the works of the Lord, &c. If grace were gone, every time comfort and assurance is obscured, it would be sad indeed; but it is nothing so; your state is the same, though your frame be altered.

3. There may be the evidence of true grace, where there is not the evidence of strong grace: and reason good, for there may be faith, though not like Abraham, who against hope, believed in hope, but like a grain of mustard seed. There are the characters of real faith, in its lowest actings; and there are the notes of the strong and vigorous actings of it: and we are apt to apply ourselves in an hour of temptation, to the latter, and because we find them not, we overlook the former, and vote ourselves to have none, because we have it not in such degrees, and hereby we greatly injure ourselves.

4. God may not be withdrawn as to assistance, when he is so as to comfort: and certainly this affords matter of encouragement in a dark time. No, it is to be observed, that sometimes God gives more powerful assistances at such a time. When Christ withdrew, as to comfort, from the Spouse (Canticles 5), yet never was her grace in such vigor and resolution as then, expressing her insuperable love to him, her insatiable desire after him, and her unconquerable resolution to follow him, till she had found him again; nor did she ever give a more glorious description of him, than in that desertion, Verse 10, &c.

3. Above all take heed of concluding yourselves reprobates. We observed, that sometimes the temptation may grow up to a readiness [illegible] to do, and therefore it needs to be cautioned against, as a thing very dangerous; and for prevention, Consider,

1. A soul may apprehend neither life nor light, and yet a [illegible] of grace be in it. Though probably grace is never totally suspended from its actings, yet they may be so faint, and the [illegible] of the [illegible] so potent, and the withdrawings of divine light so great, that he may not be able to discern them, or upon strictest enquiry find them; and now he knows not what to make of himself: but to argue to the not being of grace, from our not discerning of it, is not demonstrative; it may be there, although beclouded as to your discerning. David had then a right spirit in him, when he sought to have such an one renewed (Psalm 51:10). And if it be there, your state is safe.

2. Suppose you never were converted, this does not say that you never shall. Though you have been mistaken, yet this does not seal reprobation upon you. There is grace enough with God, virtue enough in the blood of Christ, power enough in the Spirit of Grace, and an opportunity and price still in your hands: So that put case your state be as you fear, yet your case is not desperate.

All the arguments that Unbelief & Satan furnish you withal for this conclusion, are precarious. Suppose you have made a great profession in hypocrisy, yet God can take away that false heart, and give you a true one. If you have had beginnings and lost them; doubtless God suffers his chosen many times to out grow convictions, and legal purposes once and again, and yet in his time he returns, and does the work effectually; what though you have lived a great while thus, yet it is not too late so long as God yet strives, and waits, & calls, as he does. Nor is it of force, that now you find no disposition in you, nor efficacy of means and endeavours, but all seem to your apprehension to work contrary, & you think yourselves forsaken: this may also be to break you off from yourselves, and to make his grace the more admirable. So that on supposition that you were in such a condition, yet it is too much for you to conclude from hence, that you are undone for ever.

Be then advised to take heed of casting off the means, but resolve to wait upon God in the constant and diligent use of them: and for that end,

Know that this is your duty and work. God has commanded it you, and you cannot neglect it without sin. God, who has appointed the means of grace, to advance our salvation by, has commanded us to wait upon him in them. Conscience of duty then should make you afraid of neglecting them.

There is at least a who can tell? and that should stimulate you; while there is a possibility, hope is not cut off. You find a heathen king could so argue (Jonah 3:9): Who can tell if God will turn and repent? &c. And the Prophet urges this on God's professing people as an encouragement (Joel 2:14): Who knows if he will turn, and repent, and leave a blessing behind him? To be sure, all your reasonings against it, are nothing but the suggestions of a misgiving heart, without any Scripture evidence to confirm them; for that pleads the quite contrary.

No, this is the way to recover out of desertion, and to be supported under it. God is wont to stir up in his children a resolution to seek, and follow hard after him, in order to his gracious returning to them: and this will be an argument of a sincere soul, to say as David (Psalm 63:8), my soul follows hard after you; and it was in this way that the Spouse so found her beloved again (Canticles 5 & 6).

Let me now proceed to point what is to be done to get relief under, & deliverance from these desertions: & here let me premise, that though God's sovereignty is to be acknowledged, and must be submitted to, yet this does not discharge us from our duty, nor tell us that it is vain for us to attend it: he has therefore told his people, in his word, what he would have them to do at such times: and for direction,

Withstand the temptations which at such a time, would undermine your hope. Hope is your life; for we live by hope (Romans 8:24); be therefore very tender of it, and do not throw it away, or suffer yourselves to be deprived of it; take heed then of the suggestions offered to put you from it; especially,

That never any child of God was in your case. It is very discouraging to go in an untrodden wilderness, where there is no beaten path: it is therefore an usual enquiry, was there ever any in such a condition as mine is? And if we think that we are led in a way, which God does not use to carry his own in, we thereupon despond. But this discouragement oftentimes prevails upon us, for want of right consideration. Whereas, if we would enquire into the Word of God, we might find our case there eminently exemplified: possibly it is a very ordinary case, but that our short spirits do magnify it beyond all bounds of reason, and so put another aspect upon it. Or suppose it a thing more rare and infrequent; yet it is not beyond the power and wisdom of God to govern it to his glory and our best good. Job's condition was such in his time; and that was it which amazed and misled his friends, and drew them to hard censures of him; but he resolutely maintains his integrity, and reliance upon God.

That God hides his face the farther from them, the more they seek after him. They read, and hear, and pray, and ponder, but still it grows darker and darker under all; and from hence they infer that there is no hope for them ever to find him again. And has it never been thus before? Are you the first of God's children that have been thus treated? God in wisdom has set bounds & degrees to the desertion; and he knows what is most proper and profitable for you: but what have holy men been wont to do when it was so? How does David carry himself (Psalm 22, beginning)? And what says the Church in that dismal distress of hers (Lamentations 3:26)? it is good that a man should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. And God gives his people this encouragement at such a time (Jeremiah 29:11): I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

That you seem to grow worse under the desertion. You think that if God had a love for you, and intended you good by it, there would some spiritual advantage accrue to you from it; but all your graces languish, and your corruptions gather strength under it. And no doubt, it may be so to sense, while God is preparing of you for the good of this trial; the peaceable fruits of righteousness which are to be produced by it, are to come afterwards (Hebrews 12:11). See what a sudden change there was with David in this regard (Psalm 116:11, 12): I said in my haste, all men are liars. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me!

Take heed of mistaking those things for desertions, which are not so in themselves. God's children are too apt to censure him, and discourage themselves in this regard, and so create to themselves needless trouble: and Satan readily suggests to a misgiving heart, that which may perplex him on this account: in particular.

From outward afflictions, if some great outward trouble befall a child of God, he presently refers it to God's anger, and by it he concludes that now he hides his face; and as she once said to Christ (John 11:21), if you had been here my brother [illegible] not died; so he concludes, if God [illegible] been with him, this or that evil had not befallen him. It is true, afflictions are some of God's rods, with which he is wont to correct his people (Psalm 89:32), and it becomes them now to make search into their own hearts and carriage: however, God often brings them for trial and exercise, such were those that Job met withal, chapter 1. Nor are all corrections desertions, but the clear discoveries of God's fidelity: he therefore could say (Psalm 119:75), I know that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

From stronger temptations. God sometimes brings temptations that carry more force in them than ordinary, and we are woefully assaulted by them: it may be they are many and complicate, and now we say, that he is withdrawn: but this may be a mistake too. If God suffers us to be tempted, and then leaves us to ourselves, it is then indeed a desertion, as it was with Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:31), who being so left, fell into that which procured God's displeasure. But if God verify that to his people (1 Corinthians 10:13), with every temptation he makes a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it, it is not a desertion: if he gives us grace to resist, and not to give way, it is a precious trial, and so to be acknowledged (1 Peter 1:6, 7). Christ himself was very fiercely tempted by the Devil (Matthew 4, beginning), but he was not deserted in it. What though you have great fightings, yet if you come off conquerors, and more than so, will you say that you have been deserted? Or if at present you can say as he (Psalm 118:13), you have thrust sore at me that I might fall, but the Lord helped me.

From greater discoveries of their own corruptions, and frailties. It is an usual complaint, I grow weaker in duty, I find so much deadness, wandering, unbelief, so many vain thoughts crowding in, more than ever, that methinks, instead of growing, I am withering; and if God were with me, would it be so? But consider, as a Christian grows more in spiritual duties, he will see more of his own vileness in them: when he did them more perfunctorily, he found less of that; for the more there is of the Spirit, the more there will be discovered of the lustings of the flesh (Galatians 5:17).

Endeavour to put the best interpretation on the desertion. We observed that God ever has gracious designs in the bottom, respecting his children; and it becomes us to think so, and accordingly to reduce all to such things as may encourage us. Here,

Enquire what was the cause of it: usually when God hides his face, if we were observant, we might understand how it came about; and that will help as much in our judging of it. David tells us how his came about, context, verse 6, and the Spouse declares how it was with her (Canticles 5, beginning). By this enquiry we may come to be satisfied in the need there was of our meeting with such a trial, and the fidelity and care of God in ordering it to be so, and this will help us greatly, to bear it suitably, and to say as the Church (Micah 7:9), I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him.

From the occasion learn to acknowledge the righteousness of God. Let it stop murmurings, and hard charges which are the most dangerous temptations under desertions. The Psalmist resolutely maintains that under the most dismal withdrawing (Psalm 22:13), nevertheless you are holy. When we can justify God in his dealings with us, that very frame will help us to a more believing waiting upon him; if we put off our controversy with God, and lay aside all our prejudices at him, we shall be the better persuaded to wait for him.

Observe the operation of the desertion; and be sure to do it, not only in this or that circumstance, or passage of it, but in the whole tract of God's managing of it; if thus you do, you will find enough to humble you in yourselves, and make you ashamed of the many violent efforts of sin and unbelief which you have labored of. Let it help to mortify every carnal lust, and abase you the more, and bring you to take the greater heed to yourselves: let it wean you from the world, and make you more heavenly in your conversation. And if this be the operation, you may thereby discover that there is the carrying on of the great design in you, and that God is still leading of you to heaven, though in the dark; and if for some while you cannot discern the operation to be any whit this way, by reason of the confusion and distraction there is in you, yet wait for it; and when you find any thing thereof, be sure to improve it as an earnest of his returning again shortly to you.

Neglect not your former experiences; it is too usual a thing for the children of God, when an hour of desertion comes, to abdicate all that ever went before. Time was when they thought they had sweet communion with God, their hearts were greatly raised, their graces were made lively, and the seals of God's love were legible: but now he is withdrawn, they presently cry out, all that was before, was but a dream, there were no such things in reality. Whereas we shall find, that holy men have practiced otherwise at such times; and when they were in the dark never so much, yet they would call over former transactions between God and them, and stay themselves thereby, so we observed David does (Psalm 77:10), and so do you. God will sometimes bring his people to live on the stock, and they ought to be glad and thankful that they have one; and to help you in this, take these conclusions.

He that is once a child of God is ever so. Adoption is one of the unrepentable gifts of God. Effectual vocation flows from his everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), and therefore it will certainly abide in its efficacy to everlasting: if then you once truly knew yourselves to be the children of God, the thing is certain and unchangeable. Why then should you change your thoughts, although there be changes in providence, which are to be expected, and therefore can be no contradiction to the truth on which your hope is built.

If your evidence were once true, it is so still and this follows from the former: a believers evidence is from the things that accompany salvation; and that concomitancy is inseparable. Ever you had real communion with God, and participated in his grace, it was a witness of your good estate: and though the scene be now turned, yet it will be a truth for ever, that God came and sealed the Covenant with your souls: and though he does not do it now afresh, yet he did it then; and if he loved you then, he loveth you still (John 13:1). Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end: and this will prove it.

That this change in Providence, has made no change in God. God says to deserted Jacob (Matthew 3:6), I am God, I change not, therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed: he has reasons in the management of his Kingdom of Grace in you, to alter his dispensations, but he is still driving on the same design, he intends one thing, both in his manifestations and hidings of himself, and that is to bring you to glory.

Strictly observe, whether there be no weak stirrings of faith and repentance, notwithstanding the desertion; if you can discern the least motion of any grace, it may greatly support you, because it witnesseth that he is your father, and will not forsake you, here then,

Do you indeed miss him, and are you grieved at it? It is a token of grace in the heart, that we are sensible of his spiritual retirings from us, especially, when with this sense we are sorrowful for it, and cannot bear it without bitterness; so it was with the Spouse (Canticles 5:4), My bowels were moved for him.

Is your unbelief a burden to you? You find it very strong and overbearing, and it is too hard for you: you cannot persuade your misgiving hearts to resolve to trust in him, but you sink, and are cast down: but this is very displeasing to you; and you wish that you could believe, and condemn your selves for your irregular discontents, and say as (Psalm 42, last verse), Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted in me? And (Psalm 73:22), So foolish was I, and ignorant, &c.

Are there not in you restless longings for Christ? You are afraid whether he will come any more to you, but there are in you craving desires after him; your soul cannot rest in this condition; nothing can content you while he is withdrawn, there is neither person nor thing that can fill up his room, or be to you in his stead: you can say as he (Psalm 73:25), Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire in comparison of you. And as (Isaiah 26:9), With my soul have I desired you in the night.

Is there not in you a love to holiness? Though you find that your strength fails you, and you can do nothing as you should, yet holiness is the thing you would fain have: the sin that is in you is burdensome, and you hate it, and are vile in your own eyes by reason of it. Can you say as he (Romans 7:15), What I would, I do not, and what I hate that do I.

Do you not find something in you that resists this unbelief? Would you not fain, if you dared, cry out as he (Matthew 9:24), I believe, Lord help mine unbelief? Would you not give a world, if you had it, that you could trust in him, and wait for him? Something in you, that when you are ready to give up all for gone, will not suffer you, but giveth you some check? And what is this but, at least, some faint stirring of faith; an effect of it, though under grievous oppression?

Are there no cries and looks under this pressure? Though you are overwhelmed, and look this and that way, and see no relief, yet you call and cry, and cast a look towards God, as he (Psalm 142:3, 4, 5), When my spirit was overwhelmed in me, &c. I cried to you, O Lord! and said, you are my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living. You are just ready to draw up desperate conclusions, but yet you resolve as he (Jonah 2:4), I will look once more toward your holy Temple. You doubt that it is in vain, yet you cannot but groan after it: and is not this from the Spirit, who helps our infirmities, and supplies us with groans that cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26)?

No, what is the bitterness itself that you labor of? What makes you so disquiet? Why can you not be still and be content? Is it not because of his absence? Because you cannot see him as you have seen him, is it not the want of his company? And if he should come again, would you not be satisfied? Would not that make up all? If it be so, surely you have known what it is to walk in the light of his countenance, and that an unconverted soul never did.

Are there not, now and then, some beams of light let in, though soon gone again? In darkness, there is some light: sometimes you suddenly cry out, my Lord, and my God: some promise, some encouragement darts in, and lifts up your head above water: but because it is transient, and you are presently sunk with another wave, you think it a delusion; whereas indeed it is a gracious respite given you, to take a little breath; and so you ought to interpret it.

Encourage your selves by the Name of God, now to go to him, and wait upon him. This is the advice given to such as sit in darkness, and see no light (Isaiah 50:10). If you cannot apply a promise, so as to challenge an interest in it, yet take hold of an attribute. God has proclaimed his name to us for our encouragement: every attribute of his, is a handle which we should lay hold on, and support our selves by: read then in what letters he has proclaimed his name (Exodus 34:6, 7), and do you make use of all. It is possible that a truly gracious soul may be in so great darkness, as not to be able to discern himself from one that has no grace; and to such God offers his Name for their relief under despondency, and for help, learn;

1. That if you never were converted, yet you may be. Here is sufficient to support you against the desperate conclusion. He has power enough to do it, for he is the Lord, God: he has mercy enough to do it, for he is merciful and gracious: he may do it though you have long withstood him, for he is long suffering, there is nothing here to be objected, but what may be fully answered in his name.

2. There is enough in these attributes to nourish hope in you, for;

1. He is a God that delights in mercy. Not only can he be merciful, but it is that in which he takes great pleasure. All the contrivances of man's salvation, which are recorded in his word, are a witness for this: and he is so recorded (Micah 7:18), he delights in mercy.

2. He is able to deliver you. This was an encouragement to the poor leper to come to him (Matthew 8:2), if you will, you can make me clean. And this is that which our Savior enquired of them (chapter 9:28), believe you that I am able to do this for you. We should exert faith in his power, and that should carry us to him, because, though he is sovereign, yet we are assured that he who is able, is also willing.

3. Jesus Christ has purchased salvation, he has paid the price of it; he has made himself an offering for it; it was the very business that he came into the world for: and doubtless he cannot but be willing to afford it to such as wait upon him for it. He is not willing to lose his labor, but would have all that hear of it, to come to him for it, and he has said, that such as do come he will in no wise cast out (John 6:37).

4. He is still standing before you, and offering you his salvation. You cry out, he is gone; but though he be so as to your apprehension of his comforts and assurances, yet he is waiting to be gracious; yes he is striving with you, and bidding you to look to him: and why should you say, there is no hope?

5. The Spirit of God is ready to help you. If you do but ask him, he is ready to come (Luke 11:13), your heavenly Father shall give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Why should you sink under the apprehension of your own inability to come or look? Is there but a groan after him? He hears and understands it.

6. God can wonderfully glorify himself in this way. You say, how can it be that he should regard such an one as I, who have been so deceitful and vile, and sinned against his grace, dissembled with him? Know it, he can glorify his grace, by every of these circumstances that you aggravate your folly by. Suppose therefore, if you will needs have it to be so, that you have been deceived, and dare not lay claim to the promise, yet here is enough in his name to help you to seek and wait for him.

3. Resolve then to adventure your selves upon God. Run into his name; you are encouraged so to do (Proverbs 18:10), the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous runs into it, and is safe. And therefore if you find such resolutions stirring in you, nourish and prosecute them. Thus, by renewing faith and repentance, you shall, grace assisting, recover the light of God's countenance, and have your mourning turned into dancing; your sackcloth shall be put off, and you shall be girded with gladness.