Fourthly, another means is to make your moan to God, and lay your case before him, as Hezekiah, when Rabshekah came and reviled God, and the people ⟨p. 398⟩of God, he went and spread the letter before God, and made his moan before God; If we can do so, there will be that satisfaction to our souls that is unspeakable, and that will be a great argument of our innocency; Many will say, Oh they are innocent, and God knows their hearts, but can you go and make your moan before God when you are reproached, and acquaint God with the cause, and receive refreshment that way, as Job 16. 20. My friends scorn me, but mine eyes pour out tears to God: And David, Psal. 109. 1, 2. Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise, for the mouth of the wicked, and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me, they have spoken against me with a lying tongue; they have compassed me about with words of hatred, they are mine adversaries, but I prayer; for so the words are in the Original, not I give my self, but only thus, but I prayer; as if he should say, as for my part, all that I do to help my self withal, is to pray to God, and make my moan: Others have their evil tongues to help them, and run to this witness and that witness, to seek to help themselves, but I prayer, Psal. 57. 2, 3. I cry unto God most high, he shall send from heaven and save me from reproach of him that would swallow me up, Selah; God shall send forth his mercy and truth: A carnal heart hath no way to deliver it self, but by reproaches again, by running up and down from one witness to another, but a gracious heart hath other ways to help it self, it cries to God most high, and looks for help from Heaven; God sends forth his mercy and truth to help, and there is help indeed.
Fourthly, another means is to make your moan to God, and lay your case before him, as Hezekiah, when Rabshekah came and reviled God, and the people ⟨p. 398⟩of God, he went and spread the letter before God, and made his moan before God; If we can do so, there will be that satisfaction to our souls that is unspeakable, and that will be a great argument of our innocency; Many will say, Oh they are innocent, and God knows their hearts, but can you go and make your moan before God when you are reproached, and acquaint God with the cause, and receive refreshment that way, as Job 16. 20. My friends scorn me, but mine eyes pour out tears to God: And David, Psal. 109. 1, 2. Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise, for the mouth of the wicked, and the mouth of the deceitfal are opened against me, they have spoken against me with a lying tongue; they have compassed me about with words of hatred, they are mine adversaries, but I prayer; for so the words are in the Original, not I give my self, but onely thus, but I prayer; as if he should say, as for my part, all that I do to help my self withal, is to pray to God, and make my moan: Others have their evil tongues to help them, and run to this witness and that witness, to seek to help themselves, but I prayer, Psal. 57. 2, 3. I cry unto God most high, he shall send from heaven and save me from reproach of him that would swallow me up, Selah; God shall send forth his mercy and truth: A carnal heart hath no way to deliver it self, but by reproaches again, by running up and down from one witness to another, but a gracious heart hath other ways to help it self, it cryes to God most high, and looks for help from Heaven; God sends forth his mercy and truth to help, and there is help indeed.
