Serrn. 36, the life ofReligion without 1400 ordinances ? 587 It is oftentimes the lot and portion of good men to be deprived of the Doa. I. fociety of the godly, and of opportunities of publick ferving God,andto dwell among,and converfe with wicked and ungodly perfns. It is a real ground of trouble and forrow to agood man to be thus de- Do5t.Z., prived, &c. 'Twas that which here made David proclaim himfelfin a flare of woe and mifery ;'was that which the Aponte tells us did vex the righteous foul of Lot, 2. Pet. 1.7. and which made the holy Prophet Elijah even weary of his life, i King. I9.4. You may eafily imagine what a fad heart a poor lamb might well have, if it be dri- ven from the green paftures, and fill waters, and forced to lodge a- mong Wolves and Foxes , where it mull feed upon Carrion or naive, and be continually in danger of being lodged in the bellies of its cruel and bloody companions, unlefs fome fecret over - ruling hand do reílrain their rage, and feed it with wholefome food ; and truly fuch is the condition of these that follow the Lamb of God in holy Lamb-like qualities, when déprived of green ',allures, and ílill waters of Gofpel Ordinances and forced to converfe with wicked and ungodly men. In handling of this Point I fhall hrft lay before you the grounds of it, and then adjoyn fuch pra&ical application, as may be ufefull and profitable, The grounds of this Truth do partly refer to God partly to wicked men,and partly to the gadly themfelves; if in fuch a condition a be'eeving foul either look upwards, or outwards, or inwards, he will fee much caufe of grief and trouble. I. Wich reference unto God, and that upon a double account : I. It is a real ground of furrow to a be'eeving foul to be deprived of occatiions of folemn beef ng and prayfing God ; the foul that is full of the fenfe of the goodnefs of God, that knows how many thoufand wayes the Lord is continually obliging it to love and biefs him, cannot but be aftlic`ted in fpirit, to be kept from making its publick acknowledgements of divine goodnefs.. The Pfalmi(l tells us, Pfal. 65, i, that Frai fe zn.titeth for God in Sian, that is, in the publick Affemblies of the Church ; and truly 'cis a grief to a believing foul, not to wait there with his thank.offerings, not to pay his vows unto the Lord in the pretence of al bú people, is the Courts of the Lords Pfal.ti6.t9. boufe, 6 c. not to declare to all that fear God what he bath done for PfaL66.18, their fouls. 2. It is a real ground of forrow tb live among thofe that are continually reproaching and blafpheming the Name of God : to fee F f f f finmera
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