his voice was the voice of roaring : this was more to him than a thousand crucifyings. And, surely, as it was to Christ, so is it to all gracious souls, the saddest stroke, the heaviest burden that ever they felt. When David forbade Absalom to come to Jerusalem, to see his father, he complains in % Sam. xiv. 32. " Wherefore, (saith he) " am I come from Geshur, if I may not see the king's *6 face ?" So doth the gracious soul bemoan itself ; Wherefore am I redeemed, called, and reconciled, if I may not see the face of my God ?
It is said of Tully, when he was banished from Italy, and of Demosthenes, when he was banished from Athens, that they wept every time they looked towards their own country : and, is it strange that a poor deserted believer should mourn every time he looks heaven- ward ? Say, Christian, did the tears never trickle down thy cheeks when thou lookedst towards heaven, and couldst not see the face of thy God, as at other times ? If two dear friends cannot part, though it be but for a season, but that parting must be in a shower ; blame not the saints if they sigh and mourn bitterly when the Lord, who is the life of their life, depart, though but for a season, from them ; for if God depart, their sweetest enjoyment on earth, the very crown of all their comforts is gone, and what will a king take in exchange for his crown ? What can recompense a saint for the loss of his God ! Indeed, if they had never seen the Lord, or tasted the incomparable sweetness of his presence, it were another matter ; but the darkness which follows the sweetest light of his countenance, is double darkness.
And that which doth not a little increase the horror of this dark- ness is, that when their souls were thus benighted, and the sun of their comfort is set ; then doth Satan, like the wild beasts of the desert, creep out of his den, and roar upon them with hideous temptations. Surely this is a sad state, and deserves tender pity ! Pity is a debt due to the distressed, and the world shews not a greater distress than this. If ever you have been in troubles of this kind yourselves, you will never slight others in the same case : nay, one end of God's exercising you with troubles of this nature, is to teach you compassion towards others in the same case. Do they not cry to you, as Job xix. 21. " Have pity, have pity upon me, " O ye my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me." Draw forth bowels of mercy and tender compassion to them ; for, either you have been, or are, or may be in the same case yourselves : however, if men do not, to be sure, Christ, that hath felt it before them, and for them, will pity them.
Inf. 3. Did God really forsake Jesus Christ upon the cross ? Then from the desertion of Christ, singular consolation springs up to the people of God ; yea, manifold consolation . Principally it is a support
SERM. XXXIII. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 415
in these two respects, as it is preventive of your final desertion and a comfortable pattern to you in your present sad desertions.
First, Christ's desertion is preventive of your final desertion : be- cause he was forsaken for a time, you shall not be forsaken for ever : for he was forsaken for you : and God's forsaking him, though but for a few hours, is equivalent to his forsaking you for ever. It is every way as much for the dear Son of God, the dar- ling delight of his soul, to be forsaken of God for a time ; as if such a poor inconsiderable thing as thou art, should be cast off to eternity. Now this being equivalent, and borne in thy room, must needs give thee the highest security in the world, that God will never finally withdraw from thee: had he intended to have done so, Christ had never made such a sad outcry as you hear this day, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?"
Secondly, Moreover, this sad desertion of Christ becomes a com- fortable pattern to poor deserted souls in divers respects : and the proper business of such souls, at such times, is to eye it believingly, in these six respects.
First, Though God deserted Christ, yet at the same time he pow- erfully supported him : his omnipotent arms were under him, though his pleased face was hid from him : he had not indeed his smiles, but he had his supports. So, Christian, just so shall it be with thee : thy God may turn away his face, but he will not pluck away his arm. When one asked holy Mr. Baines, how the case stood with his soul, he answered, supports I have, though suavities I want Our father, in this, deals with us, as we ourselves sometimes do with a child that is stubborn and rebellious, We turn him out of doors, and bid him begone out of our sight : and there he sighs and weeps; but however, for the humbling of him, we will not presently take him into house and favour : yet we order, or at least, permit the servants to carry him meat and drink. Here is fatherly care and support : though no former smiles, or manifested delights.
Secondly, Though God deserted Christ, yet he deserted not God : his Father forsook him, but he could not forsake his Father, but followed him with this cry, " My God my God, why hast " thou forsaken me ?"
And is it not even so with you ? God goes off from your souls, but you cannot go off from him. No, your hearts are mourning after the Lord, seeking him carefully with tears : complaining of his absence, as the greatest evil in this world. This is Christ-like : so it was with the spouse, Cant. iii. 1, 2. Her beloved had with- drawn himself, and was gone ; but was she content to part with him so ? No such thing. " By night, on my bed, I sought him
416 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SERM. XXXIII.
" whom my soul loveth ; I sought him, but I found him not ; I " will arise now, and go about the city," &c.
Thirdly, Though God forsook Christ, yet he returned to him again. It was but for a time, not for ever. In this also doth his desertion parallel yours. God may, for several wise and holy reasons, hide his face from you, but not so as it is hid from the damned, who shall never see it again. This cloud will pass away ; this night shall have a bright morning : " For (saith thy " God) I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always w -wroth ; for the spirit shall fail before me, and the souls which u I have made.1' As if he should say, I may contend with him for a time, to humble him, but not for ever, lest, instead of a sad child, I should have a dead child. Oh the tenderness even of a displeased father !