han corn and wine. Now, the hiding of the face,
the withdrawing of his countenance, is, when the Lord in his dispensation
and dealing doth withhold the manifestation of himself, either in life or
consolation, when he covereth himself with clouds round about, that
neither can a soul see into the backside of it--into his own warm heart,
nor can the sun beams shine through to quicken and refresh the soul. The
Lord draweth over his face a vail of a crossing dispensation, or such
like.

There is a desertion of the soul in the point of life and spiritual
action, and there is a desertion in regard of consolation. The varieties
of the Lord's desertions run upon these two. As a Christian's life is
action or consolation, and the Lord's influence is either quickening or
comforting, so his withdrawing is either a prejudice to the one or the
other. Sometimes he goeth "mourning all the day," nay, but he is "sick of
love," sometimes he is a bottle dried in the smoke, and his moisture dried
up. The Christian's consolation may be subtracted, and his life abide, but
he cannot have spiritual consolation, if he be not lively. This life is
more substantial,--comfort is more refreshful,--life is more solid,--comfort
sweet, that is true growing solid meat, this but sauce to eat it with.

The hiding here meant is certainly a spiritual punishment. The Lord
denying unto this people grace to understand the voice of the rod,--he
appearing as a party against them,--leaving them to their own carnal and
lazy temper, and thus they lay still under God's displeasure. Now, there
is nothing like this.

I. Because it is a spiritual punishment, and estates are not to be valued
and laid in the balance with the soul. Albeit men are become so brutish
as to abase their souls, and prostitute them to any thing, yet all a man
hath is not considerable to it.

II. It is a more excellent thing that is removed by it,--"In his favour is
life,"--all felicity and happiness is in God's countenance. If a man have
not this, what hath he else? Losses are according as the thing is. Nay,
but here is more,--"My Lord is taken from me, my God hath forgotten me."
And indeed, if man's true happiness be in communion with God, certainly,
any interruption coming in must be sad, and make a man more miserable than
the world knoweth. There is a greater emphasis in that word, "Thou hast
hid thy face," than if he had said, all the world hideth their face and
maketh a scorn of us.