2. To those who have declined from him —
[Many in a state of declension are ready to imagine that God has arbitrarily and without any particuUir cause withdrawn himself from them. But it may well be doubted whether in any case God ever dealt thus with any of his creatures. Our blessed Lord, when he cried, " My God, my God, why hast thou for- saken me ?" was suffering the punishment due to those whose iniquities had been laid on him. And Job, whose expression, ** I shall die in my nest," we have before noticed, had evidently a measure of carnal confidence which wanted to be mortified and subdued. With the exception of his case we are not aware of any thing that bears even the appearance of arl)itrary proceeding on the part of God : the constant tenor of his acting is that which was proclaimed to Asa, '^ The Lord is vvith you, while ye be with him : if ye seek him, he will be found of you ; but if ye ■forsake him, he will forsake you'." Learn then to trace your sin in vour punishment : and, if you caimot find the immediate cause of his withdrawment from you, pray to him, with Job, " Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me." The prayer which David offered under such circumstances, (See Psalm cxliii. 1 — 8.) will assuredly, if offered up in faith, bring down upon you the
blessings of peace and joy. This God himself has promis^ed ^
and you may be as fully assured of its accomplishment to your soul, as the promise and oath of God can make you' ]
' 2 Chron. xv. 2. " Isai. Ivii. 16—18.
' Isai. liv. 7 — 10. with Heb. vi. IJ, 18.