The second cause why the Lord hides himself, is, when the faithful servants of God begin to grow careless and luskish to holy duties; and because God hath made known his good will to them, therefore they begin to grow careless and secure. When the Lord seeth this, that they do abuse his favour, so that now they begin to grow secure and heartless, and to slag, and to grow sluggish, it is just with the Lord to estrange himself from that soul, and it is just that that soul should find himself lost, that he may quicken up himself. When Christians grow cold in prayer, and careless in holy duties, the Lord taketh away the light of his favour, and he leaves those sluggish hearts to themselves: nay, God is forced even against his will and mind, even for the good of those Christians, to take away the comfort of his presence: so that now they begin to think they never had grace. If the Lord did not thus, they would never mend their pace, nor quicken up themselves to any holy duties. And this is the ⟨p. 151⟩reason why many lie down in sorrow, and think they never had any grace at all: the Lord seeth it, and perceives it, that unless he should bring them to this extreme hazard, they would never be drawn out from that desperate security: but by this means in the end God makes them find their hearts and tongues again, and makes them consider from whence they are fallen. Oh, saith the Lord, mercy is as good when you have it, as when you want it; the time was, when you filled heaven and earth with your prayers, and you could pray earnestly, and you could give the Lord no rest; you prized opportunities, and now you have many opportunities and slight them. It is just with God, when we begin to be thus tongue-tied, and to be secure, and to think all is well (now the Lord hath humbled our souls, and pardoned our sins, and showed us his favour) for a time to leave those souls of yours, though he save you in the end: to send you a hell upon earth, that so you may strive to receive that mercy and comfort which formerly you had, and now have slighted. Thus he dealt with the Church in Cant. 5.2, 3. when Christ knocked at the door, and said, Open to me, my sister my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night: she made answer in this manner, I have put off ⟨p. 152⟩my coat, how shall I put it on?
The second cause why the Lord hides himselfe, is, when the faithfull servants of God begin to grow carelesse and luskish to holy duties; and because God hath made knowne his good will to them, therefore they begin to grow carelesse and secure. When the Lord seeth this, that they doe abuse his favour, so that now they begin to grow secure and heartlesse, and to slag, and to grow sluggish, it is just with the Lord to e•strange himselfe from that soule, and it is just that that soule should find himselfe lost, that hee may quicken up himselfe. When Christians grow cold in prayer, and carelesse in holy duties, the Lord taketh away the light of his favour, and hee leaves those sluggish hearts to themselves: nay, God is forced even against his will and mind, even for the good of those Christians, to take away the comfort of his presence: so that now they begin to thinke they never had grace. If the Lord did not thus, they would never mend their pace, nor quicken up themselves to any holy duties. And this is the ⟨p. 151⟩reason why many lie downe in sorrow, and thinke they never had any grace at all: the Lord seeth it, and perceives it, that unlesse he should bring them to this extreme hazzard, they would never be drawne out from that desperate securitie: but by this meanes in the end God makes them find their hearts and tongues againe, and makes them consider from whence they are fallen. Oh, saith the Lord, mercy is as good when you have it, as when you want it; the time was, when you filled heaven and earth with your prayers, and you could pray earnestly, and you could give the Lord no rest; you prized opportunities, and now you have many opportunities and slight them. It is just with God, when we begin to be thus tongue-tied, and to be secure, and to thinke all is wel (now the Lord hath humbled our soules, and pardoned our sinnes, and shewed us his favour) for a time to leave those soules of yours, though he save you in the end: to send you a hell upon earth, that so you may strive to receive that mercy and comfort which formerly you had, and now have sleighted. Thus hee dealt with the Church in Cant. 5.2, 3. when Christ knocked at the doore, and said, Open to mee, my sister my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my lockes with the drops of the night: she made answer in this manner, I have put off ⟨p. 152⟩my coat, how shall I put it on?
