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i
I;
1A4
SINS AND SORROWS
SPR'EADBEFORE
GOD.
[SERM.
Vh
supplies,-
nor
any
-bar
to his
exercise
'of
friendship
to-
w.ards.
us.
3.
A
saint
pours
out
his
soul before
God,
because
he
is
sure of;seerecy;_there. How
many
things are there
transacted
between
God
and
a
holy:soul,
that
relate
to
guilt
-and
inward workings
of
iniquity,
that
he could
;never publish
to the world
!
and
many things also
1144
concern
his
.conduct
in
life,
his embarrassments
of
spirit, his
difficulties,
his follies,
Or
the
obstinacy;
guilt, or
follies of
his
friends
or
.
relatives, which
pru-
dence and shame forbid
him
to
tell to his
fellow
-crea-
tures
;
and yet
he
wants to
spread them all before
God
his
best friend,
God
his
dearest-
relative, the
`
friend
nearest
to
bis
heart. .There
may be many
circumstances
and
cases in
life,
especially
in
the
spiritual
life,
which
;one,
christian could hardly communicate
to
another,
.though under
the
strictest
bonds and
ties
of
natural, and
civil,
and sacred
relation:
But,
we
may
communicate
these
very
.affairs,
these
secret concerns
with
our God,
and.
unburden our
souls
of
every care,
without the least
public
notice.
We
cannot
be
perfectly secure
of this
with
regard to
any,
creature
;
for when
we
have
experienced the faith-
fulness
.of
a
friend
many
years, he may possibly
be
at
last
unfaithful: Unfaithfulness
is
mingled with
our na-
ture
since
the
fall,
and it
is
,impossible
any
person can
be infallibly
secure.,
_from
;
it,
1's.
lxii.
9.
Men of,
low
,degree
are
vanity,
and
great
men are
a
lie: but
we
may
leave
our
case with
our
God,
as
secure
as
though
we
had
communicated
it to
none:
Nay,
we
may be easily
se-
cure and
free
in speaking,
because God
knows all be-
fore hand. Our complaint adds nothing
to his
know-
ledge,
although
it
eases
our
souls,
and
gives.us
sweet
sa-
tisfaction
in
having such
a
friend to speak to..
4.
A saint
believes the
equity,
faithfulness,
and the
love
of
God.; therefore
he
spreads
his
case
before
him.
,llis
equity,
that
the
judge of
all
the
earth
will
do
right
;
the righteous
may
plead
with
him.. His
faithfulness,
that
he
will
fulfil
all
his
promises:.
and
his
love,
that
he
.will
take compassion,
on
.those who
are
afflicted
;
he
will
be
tender
to those
who
are
miserable.
David takes
oc-
casion from
this, to
address God
.under
his sufferings
and
,
sorrows
Ps,
1xii.
1,
.
He
is my
rgcl;,
and
my