Chap. 36. an Expoftionupon the l3ookof Verf.7. w7 the fcandal of the crofle, which 'cis like then did and (till Both offend many, and caufeth them to humble, when they fee the righteous affiic ed; therefore he would affure us, that God never withdraweth his eye from them : but his care of, and pity ro, yea Nonfoium Sa- pleafure in them is everlafling. That eye of his which carries all taaeatemaren- this in is , is never Chu towards them. The Lord faith of the ramq; CUs" Church, I a i 6. Thy walls are c®ntinuall before me. M denaat hat (Ì 49 ) y y f the walls of Sion , fo the walls of every righteous perfon in Zion, feveran:em, or of every trueSioniff, are continuallybefore the Lord, he with- co, 'jtínuom mt- draw th not hit eyes front the righteous; Hethat l eepeth Ifraet fhall nimeq; defle- neither!lumber nor fleep, ( Plat. 121.4. ) he that nsither Plum- Aentem E',otdc bers nor fleeps, needs not withdraw his eyes from us, and he that bath a tender regard to us, will not. The Prophet (Ifa. z7. 3. ) fpeaking of the Church under the Allegoryof a Vineyard , brings in the Lord giving this affurance , I will water it every moment, Iwill keep It night and day. He that watersa Vineyard every mo- ment, never withdrawshis eyes from it;nowby watering is meant the fupply of whatfoever good the Vineyard or Church of God flood in need of ; to be fo fupplyed is to be well watered. The providence of God, as to our fpirituall and temporal! eflate, watcheth over us continually to water us,. But fome may queftion here, Doth not the Lord withdraw his eyes from the righteous ? are his eyes continually upon them ? what then is the meaning of that Scripture, ( ¡'fal. 44. 2 3. ) and of feveral others of like importance ; Awake Lord , why ßeepef thou ? That was at once the voyce of the Church, and her com- plaint; furely the Lords eyes were withdrawn fom the Church when he was afleep. I anfwer, The Lord fleeps, with refpe& to his Church, as the Church fkeps with refpecî to the Lord, ( Cant. S. 2.) I fleep (faith the Spoufe) bast my heart waketh. Indeed the Lord doth a6 fornetitares fo towards the righteous, or lets things go fo with the righteous, asif he were afleep, as if he took no notice of them , yet fill his heart waketh towards them So that his ffeeping doth not imply an intermif ion of his care, but only a fufpenfìon of the effects of his care. For while the Lord lets things go fo as if be were afleep, he thenwakes and watchesas much over the righteous, over his Churchand people, as at any other time, when they have the highefl wings of his providence for their outward peace andprefervarion. And
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