The Fray to Tranquility. Novv briefly I vvill fhevv the grounds of it;and come to the Application,becatife Iwill haften: This trouble that is upon the fpirits fometimes of thebefl men, it arifeth, Partly fromGods providence, and hand upon them. And partly from Satan. , And partly from themfelves. I vvill Ihevv you thecalks in thefe particulars, and thenapply it. Firft, it arifeth many times from the hand ofGod. The Lord is laid tobe a Sun, anda Jhield; The Lord vvill be knovvn to be a Sun, and a fhield to hispeople. Novv, look as it is vvith the earth vvhen theSun vvithdravveth hislight, it is all dark andcold,and dead ; So it is vvith the hearts of the belt men, vvhen God vvith- dravvs the lightof his countenance from the foul, it is as the earth at midnight. And as it is vvith Soldiers in the battei, iftheir fhields be taken from them,they areex- , poled to every dart, and danger ; every thingmay annoy them, and vvound them. So it is in the frate of the foul; ifGod vvithdravv himfelf from it, and donot novv lupport it as before, and donotfence, and ftrengthenitas at other times, the fiery darts of Satan vvill pierce deep into the foul, and the fpirit vvill not be able to up- hold it Pelfagainft tildeaffaults. Novv God vvithdravvs himfelf fometimes from his fervants, and that in fpecial vvifdom. CCpall, In refpea either of the time¿prefent, Lto come. 357 Ground : r. From God. rfah 84. Sometimes Goddoth it in refpe& of the time pail, and fohe doth it by vvay of corretion. Firft, to corre &his children for their formervvantonnefs, theyhave abufed theexpreffions of love, and novv as a Father takes avvay the light fromhis child, vvhen he fees he makes no better ufe of it than to play vvith it. So God fometime takes avvay the light of his countenance ; that is, he cuffs clouds before himfelf,hedoth not manifeft himfeluinthat loving favour, vvhen his fervants negle& that reverence and fear that heexpe&s from them in themidit ofhis mercies. Secondly, thishe doth fometimes as a corre&ion oftheir negligence, whenGod hath called on them,from time to time, andthey have negle&ed calling on God; he bath calledupon them for duty, and for the leaving of filch particular evils, and they have negleEted it, NowGodwithdraws himfelf,tomake them knowwhat it is to do fo ; And becaufe they will not knowwhat it is to hearhis voyce, when hecalls, hevvill make them feel it, by his not hearing their voyce when they pray. Sometimeshe calls to them, as he did to the Church in the Canticles ; Open to me my fifer, myfßoufe, my love,&c. The Churchis negligent and carelefs; ¡haveput ofmycloaths, bow fbali 1pst them on? Ihave tool-bedmyfeet, bow 'hall Idefile them ? Now he withdraws himfelf from the foul, and what is the endof it ? The keepers (trike ber, and the watcb-men takeawayher wail; and now the is left to troubleand perplexity, becaufe Chrift bath abfented himfelf, whom the would not entertain, when he offered himfelf. Thus Goddoth to correct that, that is paff. Andfurther,God dothit fometimes to correEt that carnal confidence,and fecurity whereunto men are wondrous prone, when they go on in a clear way withmuch comfort, withwind and tide. Ifaid inmyprofßerity (faith David) I ,/hall never be moved, tics Lordbuff made my mountainfo strong; but what followeth upon it ? faith he. Lord thou hidefi tbyface, and!woo troubled, now troublecame upon him, trouble of Spirit, becaufe he 'Tiled too much in that outwardmountain,in that out- ward condition whereuntoGod had exalted him, andheplaced his hopetoo much on this, and thought it fhould be alwayes thus, now God turns his hand and then David is troubled : and that is the first particular in thefirst caule. But fccondly, Godhath a further aim, and that is for the time prefent, and that is, Firft, to informall his fervants where their ftrength lies,whereall theirgood lies, it Why God withdraws the light of his countenance from his peo- ple. t.For cortetit- on oftheir for -1 mer abaft of his mercies. t. Ofthe neg- lea of their duty. Cant. ç. - Of theircar. - nal fecurity.
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