n. Affliction will make even a
hypocrite seek him, and pour out a prayer and visit him, Psalm lxxviii.
and Isa. xxvi. And if you do not take advantage of all these pressures,
you must be so much the more guilty; and therefore God, as it were,
wondereth at their obstinacy, "They return not to him that smiteth them!"
All this is come upon us, yet have we not prayed. And, 2. It is sent for
that end, that you may be more serious; and therefore you ought so much
the more to awake, to lay hold on him. This is the way the Lord useth with
his secure and wandering children, Psalm cxix. 67. For the Lord findeth us
often gripping too strongly to a present world, and taking it in our arms,
as if we were never to part with it. Men's souls cleave to outward
accommodations; therefore the Lord useth to part us and our idol, that we
may take hold of him the faster. It is union with himself that is our
felicity, and it is that which God most endeavoureth. When he removeth
beloved jewels, it is because they were a stumbling-block, and divorced
the soul from God: when he seemeth to withdraw himself his going
proclaimeth so much, oh! follow, or perish.

III. It is a very dangerous thing when he withdraweth and you follow not,
when he is angry and you care not, do not fly in to make peace with him.
Certainly his anger must wax hotter, and desertion will become a spiritual
plague; rods must be tempered with much bitterness. What mixture of mercy
can be in such a dispensation, where the fruit of it is to harden? But if
the Lord's hardest dealing wrought you to more nearness and communion with
himself; then certainly you have a fair advantage against the present
trouble, and you have your cup mixed. You shall at length bless God for
such dispensations; they may be reckoned for good to you.

Next, there ought to be more exercise of faith, and laying hold of the
grounds of consolation in God in such a time. 1. For as difficulties grow,
faith should fortify itself against them so much the more. The greater the
storm be, it should fly the more into the chambers. Faith in the time of a
calm day getteth no trial; faith bulketh much(320) because it hath not
much to do. But except there be some fresh and new supplies, it cannot
hold out in a temptation. But it is a singular proof of a noble and divine
faith,--that it can lay hold on him and keep him when he would go,--that can
challenge kindness on a miskenning Jesus,(321) --that can stand on the
groun