A Divine Cordial

2. Desertion works for good, as it makes the Saints prize Gods countenance more than ever, Psal. 63.3. Thy loving-kindness is better than life; yet the commonness of this mercy abates the price of it: When pearls grew common at Rome, they began to be slighted. God hath no better way to make us value his love, than by withdrawing it a while. If the Sun did shine but once a year, how would it be prized! when the soul hath been long benighted with desertion, Oh how welcome now is the return of the Sun of Righteousness!

2. Desertion works for good, as it makes the Saints prize Gods countenance more than ever, Psal. 63.3. Thy loving-kindnesse is better than life; yet the commonnesse of this mercy abates the price of it: When pearls grew common at Rome, they began to be slighted. God hath no better way to make us value his love, than by withdrawing it a while. If the Sun did shine but once a year, how would it be prized! when the soul hath been long benighted with desertion, Oh how welcome now is the return of the Sun of Righteousnesse!

3. Desertion works for good, as it is a means to embitter sin to us. Can there be a greater misery than to have Gods displeasure? what makes Hell but the hiding of Gods face? and what makes God hide his face, but sin? John 20.13. They have taken away my Lord, ⟨p. 49⟩and I know not where they have laid him. So, our sins have taken away the Lord, and we know not where he is laid. The favour of God is the best Jewel; it can sweeten a prison, and unsting death: Oh how odious then is that sin, which robs us of our best Jewel! Sin made God desert his Temple, Ezek. 8.6. Sin causeth him to appear as an enemy, and dress himself in armour. This makes the soul pursue sin with an holy malice, and seek to be avenged of it. The deserted soul gives sin Gall and Vinegar to drink, and with the Spear of mortification, lets out the heart-blood of it.