Spiritual desertions discovered and remedied. Being the substance of divers sermons preached for the…

2. Acknowledge his Righteousness▪ Possibly you may, upon enquiry, see a sufficient reason for his so deserting of you; yea, the particular provocation that hath procured it▪ here is enough to bring you to his fo•t, and put you upon humble confessing his justice and equity in his proceedings: this David aims at in our Context, verse •. by telling us how his was introduced. But if you are at a loss about the particular occasion, yet you have always enough before you, if you are humble, to make you to say, God had reason enough to deal thus with me, and it is rich mercy, that he doth not always do so.

3. Beware of charging him with partiality. There is an envy on this account, too apt to discover it self; such as was in Peter, when Christ had told him what trials he must encounter, is inquisitive what must befall the beloved Disciple, for which he received a rebuke, Joh. 21.21, 22. hence such musing▪ are entertained: Why are these taken into familiarity with him, and I must be treated at a distance? Why do they enjoy his smiles, and I suffer his frowns? &c. take heed of pining; Why should your eye be ⟨p. 121⟩evil, because his is good? must his love be cal•ed in question by your jealousy? or must he ask your counsel and leave how to carry it in his family?

3. Beware of charging him with partiality. There is an envy on this account, too apt to discover it self; such as was in Peter, when Christ had told him what trials he must encounter, is inquisitive what must befal the beloved Disciple, for which he received a rebuke,