Ver. 5,6. God himrlf the objectofoar Waiting. 375 carts the foul into its depths. Woe unto them, faith the Lord, when I depart front them, Hof. 9. t 2. And this woe, this forrow doth not attend only an univerlal, a total departure of God from any but that alCo which is gradual, or partial, in Come things, in force fcafons. When God withdraws his enlight- ning, his refrething, his comforting pretence, as to any wayes or means whereby he bath formerly communicated himfelf unto the fouls of any ; then woe unto them, forrows will befall them-, and they will fall into depths and entanglements. Now this condition calls for waiting. If God be withdrawn, if he hides himfelf, what hath the foul to do but to wait for his return. So faith the Prophet, 114.8.17. I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the houle of Jacob, and I will look for him. If God hide himfelf, this is the natural and proper duty of the foul to wait and to look for him. Other courfe ofrelief it cannot apply it faiunto. What that waiting is, and where- in i doth confìft hath been declared. Patient feeking of God in the wayes of his Appointment is comprized in it ; this the Prophet exprcffeth in that word, I will look for him ; indeed the fame in the Original with that in the Pfalm, 1'7 and I will earneffly look out after bimwith expectation of his re- turn unto me. Secondly, A f nfe of Gods difpleafure is another caufeofthetè depths and troubles, and of the continuance of the foul in them, norwithitanding it bath made a bleffed difcovery by faith that there is with him forgivenefl this hath been fo fully manifefled through :he whole preceding difcoutfe, that it need not again be infifted on. All hath refpea unto fin, and the xeafon of the trouble that arifeth from fin, is becaufe of the difpleafure of God againf it. What then is the natural pollute and frame of the foul towards God as difplcafed ? fhall he contend with him ? fhall he harden himfelf againtl him ? (hall he dcfpife his wrath and anger, and contemn his threatnings ? or (b.11 he hide hirufelf fromhim, and fpavoid the effe6 s of his wrath ? who knows not how ruinous and pernicious to the foul fùch coin les would be ? and howmany are ruined by them every day ? patient waiting is the fouls only rcfetve on this account alto, And Bb b 3 Secondly,
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