Sacramental meditations upon divers select places of scripture

Secondly: By this those benefits and comforts are intercepted, which are better than life: There is a sensible presence of God, there are manifestations of pardon, peace, and love; there are reviving influences and fresh anointings of the spirit; there are a thousand mercies of this kind, that in ⟨p. 46⟩their seasons are communicated to men in the way of duty; and would it not grieve a man to the very heart and soul, to be defeated of those inestimable treasures, by the breaking forth of the Unbelief, Pride, or Vanity of his own heart, when such mercies are almost in his hand? Your Iniquities (saith the Prophet) have separated betwixt you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear, Isa. 59. 2. O cruel covering! O dismal Cloud! that hides the face of God from his People, that they cannot behold it. Wherefore am I come from Geshur (saith Absalom) if I may not see the Kings face?

Secondly: By this those benefits and comforts are intercepted, which are better than life: There is a sensible presence of God, there are manifestations of pardon, peace, and love; there are reviving influences and fresh anointings of the spirit; there are a thousand mercies of this kind, that in ⟨p. 46⟩their seasons are communicated to men in the way of duty; and would it not grieve a man to the very heart and soul, to be defeated of those inestimable treasures, by the breaking forth of the Unbelief, Pride, or Vanity of his own heart, when such mercies are almost in his hand? Your Iniquites (saith the Prophet) have separated betwixt you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear, Isa. 59. 2. O cruel covering! O dismal Cloud! that hides the face of God from his People, that they cannot behold it. Wherefoream I come from Geshur (saith Absalom) if I may not see the Kings face?