The branch of the Lord, the beauty of ZionThe branch of the Lord, the beauty of Sion

1 He will depart from you, as to all sense of his presence: that you shall have neither joy, nor comfort, nor peace. He will hide his face, and make you believe (as we say) that he is gone utterly from you. And this he will do, not for a day or a night or so, but for a great while together. You shall go to seek him, and you shall not find him. Yea beg, and cry, and have no Answer: Now all the world for one smile from Christ, for one impression of his presence upon my Heart, and all in vain. When the Spirit of Christ was thus departed from David upon his miscarriage, as to the sense and joy of it: how doth he cry out, Make me to hear the voice of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice, Psal. 51. 8. If thou valuest the presence of Christ at no greater rate, but to jeopard it upon every Occasion▪ thou mayst haply go without the comfort of it all thy days. Examine your selves, is it not so with some of you? have you not lost the sense of the presence of Christ by your folly and uneven walking? Perhaps you value it not much, but go on as Sampson with his hair cut, and think to do as at other times: but if the Philistines set upon thee, it will be sorrow and trouble. In every Assault thou wilt find thy self a lost man. Sooner or later it ⟨p. 39⟩will be bitterness to thee.

1 He will depart from you, as to all sense of his presence: that you shal have neither joy, nor comfort, nor peace. He will hide his face, and make you believe (as we say) that he is gone utterly from you. And this he will doe, not for a day or a night or so, but for a great while together. You shall goe to seeke him, and you shall not find him. Yea beg, and cry, and have no Answer: Now all the world for one smile from Christ, for one impression of his presence upon my Heart, and all in vain. When the Spirit of Christ was thus departed from David upon his miscarriage, as to the sense and joy of it: how doth he cry out, Make me to hear the voyce of joy and gladnesse, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce, Psal. 51. 8. If thou valuest the presence of Christ at no greater rate, but to jeopard it upon every Occasion▪ thou mayst haply go without the comfort of it all thy dayes. Examine your selves, is it not so with some of you? have you not lost the sense of the presence of Christ by your folly and uneven walking? Perhaps you value it not much, but go on as Sampson with his hair cut, and think to do as at other times: but if the Philistines set upon thee, it will be sorrow and trouble. In every Assault thou wilt finde thy self a lost man. Sooner or later it