Therefore, _first_, Know what is the worst thing of the times. Many of you
think sword and pestilence, and the burdens of the time, the worst things,
and if you were now to complain, the saddest complaint would
be,--affliction is laid on our loins. But know this, if your cities were
desolate, if your land were made a wilderness, and we captives in another
land, there is yet a worse thing than all these, and think you not this
strange? Nay, I say, there is something worse already in us, that we know
not of, and it is this--"Make the hearts of this people hard." A spirit of
slumber and deadness from the Lord upon the land, there are multitudes he
will never show his face unto, it is still vailed from them, and they know
him not. Ye that think all were well if ye had peace and prosperity, and
know no hiding of God's countenance--no anger but when he striketh;
certainly you know not what his countenance is by all these things men
neither know love nor hatred. 2. Whatever calamity come upon you
outwardly, deprecate most spiritual plagues and God's deserting. If you
have God's countenance, it may make you glad in much sadness. You would be
most careful lest any partition-wall came in lest his countenance change
on you, if you grieve his Spirit and break his heart. Seek to have his
face to shine, and this shall be a sun with healing under his wings. O but
Christ's countenance is comely, when it is seen without clouds! but often
it is overclouded with much provocation.

_Secondly_, The Lord's hiding of his face hath influence on the temper of
spirits and disposition in duties. The truth is in general, "In him we
live, and move, and have our being," and more especially, in many things
that are spiritual, we are of our selves able to do nothing. The
creature's holiness, and especially our life, is but as the rays that the
Sun of righteousness sendeth forth round about him, and if any thing come
between it evanisheth. As the marygold that openeth its leaves when the
sun riseth, and closeth when it goeth down again, so exactly doth our
spiritual constitution follow the motions of his countenance, and depend
wholly on them. "Thou hidest thy face, and they are troubled," Psal. xxx
7. The Lord needeth no more but discountenance us, and we are gone.

Always, I. Be more dependent creatures. We use to act as from habits
within, without any subordination to the Lord's grace without us, but we
find that our sufficiency is not of ourself. Ho