moisture is turned into the drought of summer1"." That " iniquities will separate between us and our God, and cause him to hide his face from us," is certain &: but we are not therefore to conclude, that he has forsaken and forgotten us ; since, however he may " speak against us," as with the voice of an enemy, " he does earnestly remember us still ; yea, his bowels are troubled for us," till, by our humiliation and con- trition, we open a way for him to exercise, consistently with his own honour, his tender mercy towards ush. Nevertheless, till that reconciliation takes place, the distress of a soul that dreads his displeasure must be great indeed1.
One more occasion of such apprehensions is, a want of an- swers to prayer. When God is following us with invitations to accept of mercy, we think nothing of months or years : but, if he delay an answer to our supplications, a few days or weeks appear an age ; and we begin to conclude, that he will never vouchsafe us any answer at all. Perhaps, of all reasons for despondency, this is the most justifiable ; because God has so often promised to hear and answer the prayers of his people : and from hence we may account for those sad complaints, which David, the man after God's own heart, uttered against his Godk. Doubtless it is distressing to be constrained to say, " I cry in the day time, and thou hearest not ; and in the night season, and am not silent :" but the proper reflection for the soul in such cases is, " Thou nevertheless continuest holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel1."]
2. The dispositions and principles from which it springs —
[Whatever be the occasion of desponding apprehensions, they always arise from a morbid state of mind : for, if we were in a right frame, we should, under all circumstances, say with Job, " Though he slay me, yet will I trust in himm."
At the root of all despondency will be found impatience. We do not like to wait God's time : we would " walk by sight, rather than by faith ;" and, if we have not immediately what we desire, we are ready to ask, " Is the Lord amongst us, or notn?" We have a surprising exhibition of this spirit among the more religious part of the Jews in the time of the Prophet Jeremiah : God had denounced his judgments against the whole nation; and had refused to hear any prayers that should be offered for them0. Upon this they complain, " Hast thou utterly rejected Judah ? Hath thy soul lothed Zion ? Why
f Ps. xxxii. 3, 4. g Isai. lix. 2. h Jer. xxxi. 20.
1 Ps. xxxi. 9, 10. k Ps. lxxxviii. 1—7, 9, 13—16.
1 Ps. xxii. 3, 4. m Job xiii. 15. n Exod. xvii. 7- 0 Jer. xiv. 10, 11.