imself with a cloud, that David may be troubled,
and so take hold on God, Psalm xxx. 7, 8. Since, then, this is God's
purpose, that you may come nearer to him, and since he goeth away that you
may pursue; certainly he will never so run away as you may not find him
out, nor will he run farther nor he strengtheneth thee to pursue him;
thus, Psalm lxiii. 8, God was flying and David pursuing; nay, but the
flyer giveth legs to the pursuer, he upholdeth him, as it were against
himself: so did the angel strengthen Jacob to overcome himself. Now, shall
it not be pleasant to God, that you lay hold on him as your own, even when
he seemeth to be clothed with vengeance, seeing he changeth his outward
countenance for this very end? He seemeth to go, that you may hold;
because when you think he stayeth, you hold not; as the child, while the
nurse is near, will look about it, and take hold of any thing; but when
she withdraweth, the child cleaveth the faster to her.

But, II. We ought to stir up ourselves more now than any other time: times
of God's withdrawing calleth for extraordinary and doubled approaches. So
Hos. v. 15, "They will seek me early." And therefore the Lord's children
in Scripture have made great advantage of such dispensations. The truth
is, as long as we are well dealt with, security creepeth on, and religion
is but in a decaying condition. Duties are done through our sleep; we are
not as men awaking and knowing what we do, and whither we go. But when the
Lord beginneth to trouble us, and hides his face, then it is time to awake
out of sleep, before all be gone: and there ought to be, 1. More diligence
in duties and approaching to God, because your case furnisheth more matter
of supplication; and as matter of supplication groweth, prayer should
grow. If necessity grow, and the cry be not according to necessity, it is
ominous. And therefore David useth to make his cry go up according to his
trouble. In a prosperous condition, though every thing might call a
tender-hearted loving Christian to some nearness to God; yet ordinarily,
if necessity press not, prayer languisheth and groweth formal. Sense of
need putteth an edge on supplication, whereas prosperity blunteth it. The
heart missing nothing, cannot go above sublunary things; but let it not
have its will here, and the need of heaven will be the greater. Now I say,
if you sit so many calls, both from a command, and from your own
necessities, you do so much the more si