[3.] When you go forth to any work or conflict, without an actual renewing of your dependence upon God. It is a sign you lean upon the strength of your own resolutions, or present frame of your heart. The Ephraimites took it ill that Gideon would go to war, and not call them into the field when they went out against the enemy, Judges viii. 1, Oh, may not God much more take it ill that we will go forth to grapple with the devil and temptations, and go about any business in our own strength? Therefore, still a sense of our weakness must be upon us, that Ave may ' do all in the name of the Lord Jesus ;' that is, by help and assistance from him. Col. iii. 17.
[4.] When we boast of our courage before we are called to a trial. They that crack in their quarters do not always do most valiantly in the field. Peter's boast, ' Thouirh all men should leave thee, yet will not I,' came to very little ; and you know the stoiy of Mr Saunders in the Book of 3Iart//rs. ' Let not him that puts on his harness boast as he that puts it off'.' A temptation will show us how little service that grace will do us which we are proud of, and boast of.
2. To cure carnal confidence, remember your work and your im- pediments. (1.) Consider your work. A full view of duty will check our rash presumptions. Can you deny yourselves, take up your cross, maintain and carry on a holy course to your life's end ? And (2.) Re- member your impediments. Partly from a naughty heart. You are to row againi-t the stream of flesh and blood. Satan will be sure to trouble you, and will assault you again and again. Though he be never so fully foiled, he will not give over the combat : Luke iv. 13, he de- parted from Christ ' for a season.' He had a mind to try the other bout. And the world will be your let — many discouragements and
YeR. 8.] BERIIONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 77
snares from the love and fear of it : 1 John v. 3, 4, ' He that loves God keeps his conimaiulnients, and his commandments are not grievous ' ; and presently he saith, ' And this is the victory that over- cometh the world, even our faith ;' implying there is no keeping the commandments without victory over the world. Now, can you do all these things in your own strength ? The 5'oung man was forward in resolving to keep the commandments, but he went away sad, for he had great possessions, Mat. xix. 22. Therefore consider these things, that you may fly to the Lord Jesus.
Doct. 3. Though Ave fly to God's help, yet sometimes God may withdraw and forsake us.
Here I shall speak of the kinds of desertion, and then of the reasons.
First, For the kinds, take these distinctions : —
1. There is a real desertion and a seeming. Christ may be out of sight, and yet you not out of mind. When the dam is abroad for meat, the young brood in the nest are not forgotten nor forsaken. The child cries as if the mother was gone, but she is but hidden, or about other business : Isa. xlix. 14, 15, ' Sion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me.' In the misgivings of our hearts, we think God hath cast off all care and all thought of us. But God's affectionate answer showeth that all this was but a fond surmise : ' Can a woman forget her sucking-child ? ' &c. So Ps. xxxi. 22, ' I said in my haste, I am cut off before thine eyes : nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.' We are never more in God's heart many times than when we think he hath quite cast us off. Surely when the heart is drawn after him he is not wholly gone. We often mistake God's dispensations. When he is preparing for us more ample relief, and emptying us of all carnal dependence, we judge that that is a forsaking ; asPs. xciv. 18, 'When I said. My foot slippeth, thy mercy, 0 Lord, held me up.' Sometimes in point of comfort we are at a loss, and filled with distractions and troubles, and all is that God may come in for our relief. So in point of grace : 2 Cor. xii. 10, ' When I am weak, then I am strong.' There is also a real desertion ; for God grants his people are forsaken some- times : ' Though I have forsaken you for a little moment,' Isa. liv. 7, 8, And Christ, that could not be mistaken, complaineth of it ; and the saints feel it to their bitter cost.
2. There is internal and external desertion. Internal is with re- spect to the withdrawings of the Spirit: Ps. li. 11, 'Take not thy Holy Spirit from me.' Kow external desertion is in point of afflic- tion, when God leaves us under sharp crosses in his wise providence. These must be distinguished ; sometimes they are asunder, some- times together. And when they are together, God may return as to our inward comfort and support, yet not for our deliverance : Ps. cxxxviii. 3, ' In the day Avhen I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.' David was in great straits, and God affordj him soul-relief ; that was all the answer he could get then; sup))ort and strength to bear the troubles, but not de- liverance from the affliction. Sometimes the ebb of outward comfort doth make way for a greater tide and influx of inward comfort :