withdrawment of his presence from them. In proportion as any have become less vigilant, they lose those manifestations of the Divine presence which in the seasons of holy fear they were privileged to enjoy. Nor is it a mere privation of joy which they experience on such occasions; there is a perturbation of mind arising from a sense of the Divine displeasure, and a painful apprehension lest they should never be restored to the favour of their God. David's " trouble," as arising from tliis source, was of a very overwhelming nature ^ : and woe be to those who wantonly provoke God to inflict it on them^.
In what way he sought deliverance from this trouble, we see by,]
III. His fervent prayers —
[" He cried unto the Lord, and (as it is in the Prayer- book translation) gat him to his Lord right humbly." How he pleaded with God, may be seen in our text ; and in this he affords an excellent pattern for us under similar circumstances. His plea is to this effect ; ' Lord, withdraw not thyself from me for ever : it is through thy help alone that I can ever recover the state from which I am fallen ; and without such a recovery I can never bring any glory to thy name. O leave me not in the wretched state into which I am fallen.'
Now here we see the true, the only, remedy for a soul that has provoked God to depart from it. To have recourse to the doctrines of election and final perseverance under such circum- stances, is the way to foster that very disease which God is seeking, by this discipline, to cure. We say not that we are to keep out of sight the promises of God ; for beyond a doubt we are to make use of them at all times and on all occasions : but then we are to make use of them, not for the fostering of an unhumhled confidence in God, hut for tlie encouraging of our humiliation before God. We are to be constantly on our guard " not to heal our wounds slightly, or to cry, Peace, peace! when there is no peace." We should bear in mind that the humbhng of our souls is the very end which God aims at in withdrawing his presence from us : and the more we answer this end, the better : nay, if by the suspension of his favour towards us we be brought to a more earnest crying after him, and to an utter abhorrence of ourselves in dust and ashes, we shall have as much reason to adore him for such discipline, as for the most exalted joys he ever afforded us.
Tliis also is a point which we conceive to be of exceeding great importance for the due regulation of our own minds, and for the right counselling of those who are under the hidings of God's face.
The excellency and efficacy of this remedy may be seen in,]
e Ps. Ixxvii. 2 — 4. f Deut. xxxii. 20.