Therefore let us lay up this likewise for the strengthening of our faith in the like case, that we be not overmuch discom'aged. If God hide himself, if others think our estates miserable, and oui'selves think oui'selves so, it is no strange matter. It was thus with David. He was so neglected of God that they thought God had clean forsaken him. Where is thy God ?
Our life is now hid with Christ, as the apostle saith. Col. iii. 3. We have a blessed and glorious life, but it is hid in our Head. Even as in winter time the trees have a Hfe, but it is hid in the root, so a Christian hath a blessed condition at all times, but his glory and happiness is hid in hig Head, and there is a cloud between him and his happiness.
Therefore let us support oiu'selves mth this in all times, was God gone from Da\dd indeed when they said, ' Where is thy God ? ' Oh no ; God was as near David now as ever he was, nay, rather nearer. God was never nearer Moses than when he was sprawling upon the water in that ark they had made for him, Ex. ii. 3. He was never nearer Daniel than when he was in the lion's den, Dan. vi. 19. God came between the Hon's teeth and Daniel. And, as I said, he was never nearer our Saviour than when he was on the cross. And he was never nearer to David than when they said, ' Where is thy God ? ' When trouble is near, God is never far off. That is an argu- ment to make God near. Lord, be not far off, for trouble is near. And ex- tremity and danger and trouble, it is God's best opportunity to be with his children, however he do not help for the present ofttimes. ' Where is thy Godr
David might rather have said to them, Where are your eyes ? where is your sight? for God is not only in heaven, but in me. Though David was shut from the sanctuary, yet David's soul was a sanctuary for God ; for God is not tied to a sanctuary made with hands. God hath two sanctua- ries, he hath two heavens: the heaven of heavens and a broken spirit. God dwelt in David as in his temple. God was with David and in him; and he was never more with him, nor never more in him, than in his greatest afflictions. They wanted eyes, ho wanted not God. Though sometimes God hide himself, not only from the world, but from his OAvn children, yet he is there ; howsoever their sorrow is such that it dims their sight (as we see in Hagar), so that they cannot see him for the present. Gen. xxi. 19. He sometimes looks in their face, as we see Mary. She could not see Christ distinctly, but thought him to be the gardener. There is a kind of
THE SWOBD OF THE WICKED. 113
concealment a while in heavenly wisdom, yet, notwithstanding, God is with his children always, and they know it by faith, though not by feehng always. As we know what Jacob said, ' God was in this place, and I was not aware,' Gen. xxviii. 16, when he slept upon the stone, and had that heavenly vision; so it is with God's people in their trouble. God is with his chiu'ch and childi'en, and wicked men are not aware of it. Christ is in them, and they are not aware of it. Christ was in the saints when Saul persecuted them, and Paul was not aware of it, ' Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Who art thou, Lord?' saith he. Alas! he dreamed not of Christ. How- ever wicked men of the world think, yet God is near his own childi'en, in the most disconsolate condition that can be. It is, when they say, ' Where w thy God ." ' as if a man should ask what is become of the moon between the old and the new, when the dark side is towards us, when we see no moon at aU for a time, till the new come ? The moon is near, and more enlightened with the sun then than at other times, and is nearer to him. So in afflictions. However the dark side of God's chikken be towai'd the world, that they cannot see them, yet theii' light side is towards God. God shines upon them, and enlightens them more then at that time with soUd comfort, that keeps them fi'om sinking, than at other times. Therefore it was an ignorant question of them to ask, Where is thy God ? It shewed they were ignorant of the passages of God's deahng with his children, as indeed none are gi'eater atheists than yom* scoffers. Where is thy God ? as if God had been only a God of observation, to be observed outwardly in all his passages towards his childi-en, whereas, as I said, he is a God hid- ing himself ofttimes ; and he shews himself in contraiy conditions most of all, most comfortably. His work is by contraries. But these carnal men were ignorant of the mysteries of religion, and the mysteries of divine provi- dence towards God's children. Therefore their question savoui'S of their disposition. Where is now thy God / Thus briefly I have gone over their dis- position and carriage towards the holy man David, that they were enemies of hostile nature and disposition, and they reproached him, and daily, and that in his religion. Where is thy God /