1. It was not a Desertion in Appearance or Conceit only, but real. We often mistake God's Dispensations. God may be out of Sight, and yet we not out of Mind. When the Dam is abroad for Meat, the young Brood in the Nest is not forsaken. The Children cry, as if the Mother were totally gone, when she is employed about necessary. Business for their welfare. Zion said, the Lord hath forsaken me, my God hath forgotten me, Isa. 49. 14, 15. In the misgivings of our Hearts God seems to have cast off all Care and Thoughts of us. God's affectionate Answer showeth, that all this was but a fond Surmise. Can a Woman forget her sucking Child, that she should not have Compassion on the Son of her Womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. So we think that we are cut off, when God is about to help and deliver us, ⟨p. 160⟩Psal. 31. 22. Many times we think he has quite cast us off, when we are never more in his Heart. Surely, when our Affections towards God are seen by mourning for his Absence, he is not wholly gone, his Room is kept warm for him till he come again. We mistake God's Dispensations, when we judge that a forsaking, which is but an emptying us of all carnal Dependence. Psal. 49. 18, 19. When I said, my Foot slipped; thy Mercy, O Lord, held me up. In the multitude of my Thoughts within me, thy Comforts delight my Soul. He is near many times, when we think him afar off; as Christ was to his Disciples, when their Eyes were with-held, that they knew him not, but thought him yet lying in the Grave, Luk. 24. 16. But this cannot be imagined of Christ, who could not be mistaken. If he complained of a Desertion, surely he felt it. It was a real Desertion, he could not mis-interpret the Dispensation of God he was now under: for such Misapprehensions are below the Perfection of his Nature.
1. It was not a Desertion in Appearance or Conceit only, but real. We often mistake God's Dispensations. God may be out of Sight, and yet we not out of Mind. When the Dam is abroad for Meat, the young Brood in the Nest is not forsaken. The Children cry, as if the Mother were totally gone, when she is employed about necessary. Business for their welfare. Sion said, the Lord hath forsaken me, my God hath forgotten me, Isa. 49. 14, 15. In the misgivings of our Hearts God seems to have cast off all Care and Thoughts of us. God's affectionate Answer sheweth, that all this was but a fond Surmise. Can a Woman forget her sucking Child, that she should not have Compassion on the Son of her Womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. So we think that we are cut off, when God is about to help and deliver us, ⟨p. 160⟩Psal. 31. 22. Many times we think he has quite cast us off, when we are never more in his Heart. Surely, when our Affections towards God are seen by mourning for his Absence, he is not wholly gone, his Room is kept warm for him till he come again. We mistake God's Dispensations, when we judge that a forsaking, which is but an emptying us of all carnal Dependance. Psal. 49. 18, 19. When I said, my Foot slipped; thy Mercy, O Lord, held me up. In the multitude of my Thoughts within me, thy Comforts delight my Soul. He is near many times, when we think him afar off; as Christ was to his Disciples, when their Eyes were with-held, that they knew him not, but thought him yet lying in the Grave, Luk. 24. 16. But this cannot be imagined of Christ, who could not be mistaken. If he complained of a Desertion, surely he felt it. It was a real Desertion, he could not mis-interpret the Dispensation of God he was now under: for such Misapprehensions are below the Perfection of his Nature.
