An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

But some may question here, Doth not the Lord withdraw his eyes from the righteous? are his eyes continually upon them? what then is •• meaning of that Scripture, (Psal. 44.23.) and of several others of like importance; Awake Lord, why sleepest thou? That was at once the voice of the Church, and her complaint; surely the Lords eyes were withdrawn from the Church when he was asleep. I answer, The Lord sleeps, with respect to his Church, as the Church sleeps with respect to the Lord, (Cant. 5.2.) I sleep (saith the Spouse) but my heart waketh. Indeed the Lord doth act sometimes so towards the righteous, or lets things go so with the righteous, as if he were asleep, as if he took no notice of them, yet still his heart waketh towards them: So that his sleeping doth not imply an intermission of his care, but only a suspension of the effects of his care. For while the Lord lets things go so as if he were asleep, he then wakes and watches as much over the righteous, over his Church and people, as at any other time, when they have the highest actings of his providence for their outward peace and preservation.

But some may question here, Doth not the Lord withdraw his eyes from the righteous? are his eyes continually upon them? what then is •• meaning of that Scripture, (Psal. 44.23.) and of several others of like importance; Awake Lord, why sleepest thou? That was at once the voyce of the Church, and her complaint; surely the Lords eyes were withdrawn from the Church when he was asleep. I answer, The Lord sleeps, with respect to his Church, as the Church sleeps with respect to the Lord, (Cant. 5.2.) I sleep (saith the Spouse) but my heart waketh. Indeed the Lord doth act sometimes so towards the righteous, or lets things go so with the righteous, as if he were asleep, as if he took no notice of them, yet still his heart waketh towards them: So that his sleeping doth not imply an intermission of his care, but only a suspension of the effects of his care. For while the Lord lets things go so as if he were asleep, he then wakes and watches as much over the righteous, over his Church and people, as at any other time, when they have the highest actings of his providence for their outward peace and preservation.