SP.ll.Xl. Mat. I r. I . 2 . 1 fought him.but I couldnotfindhim~ ! i -withjltZndmg I wilt looke towardthy h~ly Temple. And DAvid, Pfol. 3 I .22 .Ifoidinmyhaft I t~m caft out of thy jight,yet notwithfl.mding thou heardeft the v()yce ofmy praytr. He faid it,but he fa id iHn his hafi.Gods children are furprized on the fud– den to thinke they are call: away ; but it is inhaft, and fo foon as maybe they recover themfdves. I [aid it i4 m_y infirmity, faid Dtt·vid, Pfa/.73· It is but in a p:ufton. Here then is the difference be– tween the childrenof God and others in defer– tions, they arife, th~fe lye fiill an.d defpaire. There is life in thefohflan,enfthe oake that makes it lift up its head above ground, though it be cut downe to the frumps. Nay we fee further here, the Church is not taken off for any difcourage- · ments, butherfaithgrowes ftronger, asthewo· mansofCana4n did. · The Reafon whereof is, Faith Iookeseo the Promife, and to ·the nature of God, not to his prefent dealing. . And then Godbyafecret worke of hisSpiric (though he feeme to be an enemy yet notwirh. fianding) drawes his children nearer and nearer to him by fuch his dealing. All this firangendfe isbut•to mortifie fome former luft, or confume - fome form~r dregs of(ecuriry·. I fought himhut I c1uldnotfindhim. . Here one .of the greatefi difcouragernents of all other is, when prayer (which is k·fr to the Churc4 as a falve for al fores) bath no an. fwer. This is the complarnr, bur ind ed ·an er– rour of the Church ; for Chrifi: did heare the Church . ~- ~- .. --
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