I. Scripture-light the most sure light ... delivered in three sermons on 2 Pet.…

Object. 2 But I am not only forsaken, and deserted, and want the Comfortable feelings, and manifestations of Love which I once had, and do now desire to have; but I do find the contrary tokens of Gods Displeasure, manifestations of his Anger: were it only the withdrawings of Love, I might bear it; but Christ is angry, God is angry, appears to be mine Enemy, and have I not reason now to be much discouraged?

Answ. No: For if this hath been the condition of the Saints before you, why should you fear your state in this respect? Now look into Isay, 57. and you shall […] that God saith, I was wroth, and smote him; he did not only hide his face, but he was wroth; yea, he is not only wroth, but he smote his People too, and yet the Promise is, I will restore comfort to him, and to his mourners: Did not Job think, and say that God was angry with him, and become his Enemy? and did not Job's Friends think that God loved them, and was their Friend, and his Enemy? yet if you look into Job, 42. you find that God was more pleased with Job, for he was ⟨p. 156⟩fain to pray for them before they could be accepted; and know ye not, that it is Christs usual manner to personate an Enemy, when he intends the most Friendship; to seem a stranger, when he intends the most communion. It is said, that God was angry with Moses, Exod. 4. yet even then he gave him such a Promise of mercy, as he had not before, ver. 14, 15, 16. Ye know what Davids choice was; Lord, let me fall into thy hands, and not into the hands of men, for with thee is mercy: It is sometimes a mercy to be immediately chastised by the hand of God our Father: God might turn us over to the hands of men; but if God will take us into his own hand, and chastise with his own hand immediately, there is love in it. If a Prince should say to his Officers, My whole Kingdom is before you, do right, and execute Justice, and Judgment; but as for such and such a Family, if they shall commit any fault, I will chastise them immediately with mine own hand, you shall not meddle with them, I will do it my self; would not this argue love? Thus it is with the Saints in the time of Desertion, then God takes the soul into his own hand; all Creatures, and Officers of his Anger, stand by, and meddle not: in other Afflictions, God turns us over to his Officers; but in Desertion, there he doth correct immediately; and therefore though he strikes, yet there is Love at the bottom, and the more Christ doth sympathize with you in any Affliction, the less cause you have to be discouraged. Christ is our sympathizing High-Priest in all our Afflictions; but the more we are like to him in any Affliction, the more he doth sympathize, and his heart let out the more unto us: