Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v8

Chap. 27. rin Expofttion upon the Book, of Jos. Verf.to; the creature, will defpife God ; And if fuch fay they do not,,yet God knows they do defpife him, and doth interpret all fuch pleafure taken in the creature,a contempt of himfelf. And hence Chriff denounceth, Woe unto them that laughnow, (Luke 6.25 ) That is, who laugh and rejoyce in worldly enjoyments, becaufe fuch joy and laughter is inconfiflent with joy in God. The crea- ture may be the ( mediumor) means of our delight, but Cod only muff be the obje& of ir, or our delight maypaffe through the creature, but it muff determine in God alone. Again:, Compare the former verle, Gillgodbear his cry, when trouble cemeth upon him, ) with this, #'illbe alwayes delight bimfelfin the Almighty ? Obferve Vnleffe the hypocriteget what he asksofCJod,be takesNo delight in God. ThePfalmifl calls all the prayers of hypocritical perlons, flat- teries (Pfal. 711. 36.) When heflew them they fought him, and they returned and enquired early after God and they remembred that God was their rocke, and the high God their Redeemer,(that is, they told God in prayer that he was their rock,;c.) 2'everthe- leffe, theydidbeltflatter him with their mouth, and they lyedun. to him with their tongue,for their heart was not right with him.Thar is, they had no true love to, nor delight in God, only they would faine have got help from him, and deliverance from their trou- bles. A flatterer doth not delight in theperfon flattered, but in that which he hopes to obtain of him by flattery. And as their hypocrifle did break out in their departures and backflidings from God, as foon as they were eafed of their fears, fo the hypocrifle 'of others, breaks out in their departure from God, when they cannotget their deliires. The heart of a fincere man is of ano- ther frame and temper ;; for though God delay, yea deny him an anfwer in that he prayeth for,yethedelighteth in him.He cri- eth to the Lord in fickneffe, in poverty, iv firaits, and the Lord fomtimes lets him lye tick, and poor, and firairned, and gives him no reliefe ; yet he delights and comfort himfelf in God, yea, God is better to him than that he asks at the h ,nd of God, and therefore he takes pleafure in communion 'ithGod, though Godbenot pleated to mend his condition. Wemay well fuppofe that

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=