Two Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Twelve Rules of Direction for walking with God.
WHat Rules ſhould be obſerved for a Chriſtian's walking with God? You will ſay to me, You have ſhewed to us, That it is a moſt bleſſed thing to walk with God, and we are convinced of it: But what Rules may there be given for it?
The Firſt Rule.
Be ſure of this, That there be no way of ſin in thee. Take heed of giving way to any ſin, eſpecially known ſin, though it be a little one, though it ſhould be but a ſin of omiſion, the giving way to any known ſin, will make the preſence of God terrible, and make all thy duties empty; will eſtrang God from thy ſoul: there's more evil in it than thou art aware of, thou canſt have no Communion with God while thou art in any way of ſin, eſpecially if it be againſt Light, The leaſt ſin that is that a Chriſtian gives way unto, is like a thorn in a mans foot, but a great ſin, & a ſin againſt knowledg is like a great gaſh in a mans foot; now if a man hath but a thorn in his foot he cannot walk well, it will make him halt; if a man hath but a little gravel got into his ſhoo he will not be able to walk along, he may walk a ſtep or two, but not very long. Now ſmall ſins are like gravil in the ſhoo, or like a thorn got into the foot; but if thou falleſt into a great ſin, a ſin againſt light, againſt conſcience, Oh that is like a great gaſh that one may cut with a hatchet or an ax; if a man hath cut a great gaſh in his foot he wil hardly be able to walk with comfort: Even ſo it is when thou falleſt into any great ſin, thou hadſt need then go to the Chyriurgeon, thou hadſt need then have ſalve applied to thee to heal thy ſoul, or otherwiſe it wil hinder thee in thy walk with God.
The ſecond Rule, or Direction.
Secondly, Labor to abſtract thy heart from earthly and ſenſual things as much as thou canſt that thou mayeſt be ſpiritual: A droſſie, earthly, ſenſual heart is unfit to have communion with God, God he is a Spirit, and thou muſt be Spiritual in thy converſe with him, take heed of mingling thy heart with creature comforts, thou mayeſt make uſe of them, but in a ſpiritual way, do not defile thy heart with them, let not thy heart cloſe with them as adequat objects of thy deſires, or of thy love, take heed of being intangled, of being inſnar'd with any creature comforts; a man cannot walk if he hath got into a ſnare, when men fetter themſelves in the world, and intangle themſelves with abundance of buſineſſes, & creature contentments, it doth mightily hinder their freedom in walking with God, when mens hearts ſink down to the creature they cannot walk with God, for God is above, he is on high, and the way of the wiſe is on high, and we muſt keep our ſelves on high: If ſo be that Chriſtians have ſometimes ſome good affections, their hearts are a little ſtir'd up to things that are good; but at other times their hearts ſink down to the world, and to ſenſual, and earthly contentments, they cannot walk freely with God, they can but hault at the beſt; as a man that hath one leg ſhorter than the other, he cannot walk evenly, but he haults as he goes; ſo when our affections are up and down, ſometimes they are ſtir'd up to Heaven, and ſometimes down to the world again, yea, perhaps at the ſame time when we have ſome truths heave us upward, and yet a droſſie ſpirit to ſink us downward, this will be but haulting, our affections muſt go even, muſt not be for Heaven and Earth together, except it be in ſubordination one to the other, and ſo while we are on the earth we are in Heaven if we keep our hearts in a ſubordination to ſpiritual things when we are buſied about earthly; Then is a mans heart ſpiritual, and ſeparated from the earth when he knows how to have comfort in God alone, when he knows how to make up the want of all creaturecomforts in God himſelf, that's a ſpiritual heart. Now you will ſay, we muſt not be inſnar'd in the things of the earth: when is a mans heart ſpiritual? It's then Spiritual when it knows how to ſatisfie its ſelf in God alone, and to make up the want in all creature comforts in God himſelf, and no Chriſtian can walk with God except he attains to that pitch, to know how to make up all in God, and uſe all in order unto God.
The third Rule, or Direction.
Thirdly, If thou wouldſt walk with God, evermore take Chriſt with thee God and the Soul cannot walk together but with Chriſt; Chriſt, God and Man, that Mediator, by that I mean this, in all thy converſe with God have an eye to Chriſt, look unto God the infinite glorious Firſt. Being of all things, but through Chriſt the Mediator, or otherwiſe God will not be rendered amiable, and ſweet, and lovely to thee, then is God rendered ſweet and amiable, and lovely to the ſoul, even as a friend that the ſoul can have familiarity withal when as he is look't upon through Jeſus Chriſt: do thou act all by Chriſt by the ſtrength of Chriſt, and tender up all thy ſervices to God through Chriſt, thoſe that are not acquainted with the myſtery of the Goſpel in Chriſt, ſurely they know but little of this walk with God.
Queſt. You will ſay, Enoch did not know much of Chriſt.
Anſw. Oh yes! Certainly, though it was ſo long before Chriſt came, yet his eye was upon Chriſt: for in the 11. of the Heb 5. verſe, the Apoſtle ſaith, That it was by faith that he walked with him; it was all by faith. Now Chriſt is the object of faith, and ſo his eye certainly was upon Chriſt: It was through faith, and I will give you one Scripture that will ſhew the uſe of eying of Chriſt in walking with God, in the 25. of Exod, 21. verſe, Thou ſhalt put the Meroy-Seat above upon the Arke, and in the Ark thou ſhalt put the Teſtimony that I ſhall give thee, and there will I meet with thee, and I will commune with thee. That is, There at the Mercy-Seat. They were come to the Ark to look up to the Mercy-Seat, and there ſaith God, wil I meet with thee, and there will I commune with thee. Now what's the Mercy-Seat but Jeſus Chaiſt? we muſt look upon God in Chriſt, and ſo God is rendered amiable, ſweet, glorious, and lovely unto us in his Son, there doth God meet with his Saints, and there he communes with them; Indeed while we look upon God as he is in himſelf he is a conſuming fire, and we cannot epxect to commune with God there, and therefore thoſe that look upon God meerly in a legal way, look upon him as one that doth exact and require ſuch and ſuch ſervices and duties of them, and meerly conſidering God as a Judge; if they perform not ſuch and ſuch duties they do not meet and commune with God; But ſuch as look up to the Mercy-Seat, look up to Chriſt by faith, when they have to deal with God in Chriſt, Oh theſe meet with God, theſe commune with God, Oh there's much ſweet communion between God and their ſouls, they walk with God, becauſe God through Chriſt comes to be rendered gracious, lovely, ſweet, amiable, and familier to them.
The fourth Rule, or Direction.
Be careful to beautifie thy ſoul; or more generally thus, (Firſt:) Have a great care of thy ſpirit, look to thy ſpirit rather than to thy outward actions in thy walking with God; God is a Spirit, and will be worſhiped in ſpirit and truth. One that would walk with God had need be very careful of his ſpirit, keep thy heart with all diligence, for it is with thy ſoul that God converſes: Indeed 'tis the proper ſpheer of a Chriſtian to be buſie about his heart, to be buſie in the inward man, there's the ſpheer of a Chriſtian: It's not ſo much about the outward man, if the hear be kept in a right frame, the outward man will be brought over of its own accord; But be careful of thy ſpirit, (that is) of the thoughts of thy mind; Take heed of admitting of any uncleanneſſe in thy very thoughts, for the ſoul converſes with God in thoughts as well as we converſe with men in words; how do you commune and converſe with men but by ſpeech? therefore doth God give ſpeech to men that they may converſe one with another, what ſpeech is unto men, that the thoughts are unto God; we converſe much with God by our thoughts, make conſcience of thoughts, labor to cleanſe thy thoughts, and likewiſe the affections of thy heart, and the ſtirrings of thy heart, for God and thy ſoul doth converſe together, in the workings and ſtirrings of thy heart look to thy ſpirit; and labor to beautifie thy ſoul with that that may make thee aimable and lovely in the eyes of God, and then the Lord will delight to converſe with thee, and walk with thee. If you were call'd out to walk with a man that were your ſuperior, with ſome Chief in your pariſh, Gentleman, or Knight, or Noble man, If ſuch a one ſhould call you to walk with him, you would labour then ſo far as you were able to adorne your ſelves with ſuch cloaths as were ſutable unto the company of ſuch a one: you that profeſſe your ſelves Chriſtians, God doth call you every day to walk with him, and if you would expect to have communion with God, and that God ſhould take delight in you, you muſt labor to beautifie your ſouls, to dreſſe you with thoſe things that may make you aimable in the eyes of God, and not to come dirtily and filthy into the preſence of God. Now that that makes the ſoul aimable in the eyes of God it is, Holineſſe, for that's the very Image of God, and God delights to walk with one where he can ſee his own Image, the more reſplendent the Image of God is in the ſoul the more doth the Lord delight to walk with ſuch a ſoul; labour for the behavior of thy ſoul to be ſutable unto God; When I walk with one that is my ſuperiour I muſt have ſuch a demenour as is ſutable to his preſence, and as it was ſaid before, To walk with God was to walk in the fear of God. And that's the fourth thing, Take heed to thy ſpirit, beautifie thy ſoul in that that may make thee aimable and lovely in Gods eyes, and carry thy ſelf ſo as is ſutable to the preſence of God; I ſhall only give you one Scripture about the beautifying of the ſoul, in the 45. Pſalm, where it's ſpoken of the Church and of the Saints being brought into the preſence of God, in the 13. verſe, The Kings daughter, (that is, the Church) is all glorious within. (Many make great ſhews of Religion without, but the Kings daughter is all glorious within,) her cloathing is of wrought gold: there's her ornaments: mark what follows in the 14. verſe, She ſhall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work: (She ſhall be brought to the King, to Jeſus Chriſt, with garments of needle-work) by that is meant, the ſeveral graces of the Spirit of God that puts a beauty upon the ſoul: as there is a variety in needlework that cauſes a beauty upon the work, and ſo ſhe ſhall be brought to the King. So you muſt have that that may make you aimable and lovely in the eyes of the King.
The Fifth Rule, or Direction.
Take heed of halting. When you walk with him you muſt not halt between two but give up your ſelf fully to God, you muſt give up your ſelves wholly to him in walking with him; not to have a diſtracted heart, or a divied heart between two: Why halt ye between two opinions (ſaith the Prophet?) If God be God, worſhip him; if Baal, worſhip him. So, when the heart is not divided up and down, and is reſolved in the way of God, that's the thing that I mean here; that is, If I cannot be happy here, I am content to be miſerable here; when the ſoul is ſo reſolved and doth not halt in Gods way, when the ſoul knows that here is the way that there is happineſs to be had in, and whatſoever ſeems to the contrary to fleſh and blood, yet I know that in theſe waies there's happineſs to be had, there's enough to bleſſe my ſoul for ever, and therefore whatſoever becoms of me, I am reſolved upon theſe waies; this is one that is fit to walk with God, he will not halt, but will treat ſtrait ſteps in the waies of God: and that the Apoſtle requires of us in Heb. 12. 13. Make ſtreight paths for your feet, leſt that which is lame be turned out of the way. Make ſtreight paths, go on in a ſtreight way, not having the heart longing after ſomething elſe: There are ſome that have ſome convictions of conſcience, that have their hearts inclinable to the waies of God, and are going on in ſome of the waies of God, yet they have longings of ſpirit after ſomething elſe: but when the heart indeed walks with God, it gives up its ſelf wholly to him, and is reſolv'd in theſe waies: you have had ſome good thoughts; but if your hearts be divided between God and the world, you will turn to be Apoſtats in time, that which is lame will be turn'd out of the way, the waies of God will be tedious to you when you do not give up your ſelves wholly to them; and this is the reaſon of the Apoſtafie that there is in the world, they ſeem to go on in Gods waies, but they go on but lamely becauſe they do not give up themſelves wholly to the waies of God.
The ſixth Rule, or Direction.
If you would walk with God, Take heed of formality in all holy duties; be laborious in holy duties, take pains with your hearts in them, labor for the power of godlineſs in holy duties, you muſt ſtrive to get up to God in them: It were well if when we perform holie duties we did but keep cloſe to the Duty its ſelf, few go ſo far: But it's one thing to keep cloſe to the Duty, and another thing to keep cloſe to God in the Duty; we muſt labor not only to mind what we are about, but to keep cloſe to God in the Duty, to find God in all duties that we perform, and in the uſe of all ordinances to take pains to find God there, and not to ſatisfie & quiet our hearts except we find God in the duties that we do perform; we have a notable Scripture for this, in Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my Name, I will come unto thee, and I will bleſs thee. That is, where ever there is any Ordinance, or any holy Duty to be perform'd, there's a recording of Gods Name. And ſaith he, I will come unto thee, and there I wil bleſs thee. If you would walk with God, you muſt go where God is, and be in thoſe places where God uſes to come: now the walk where God uſes to walk it is, in his Ordinances, in his Worſhip, therefore you muſt be very ſpiritual in worſhip, and ſanctifie the Name of God there; (according to that that we have treated upon at large) you muſt take pains there, ſtir up your Goſpel worſhiphearts and all that is within you to walk with God there, and not be ſatisfied except you have ſomething of God there. It's a notable ſpeech of Bernard, I never go from thee without thee: when ever I come to any holy duty and leave it, I never leave it but I have thee with it: we muſt not be ſatisfied except we meet with God in holy duties.
The Seventh Rule, or Direction.
Take heed of ſecret declinings, or ſlidings away from the paths of God into any by paths. For thoſe that profeſſe their deſires to walk with God they will not in an open way forſake God, and his waies; but if you be not very watchful over your hearts, you will have them ſecretly decline away from the waies of God, from thoſe paths wherein you have had heretofore communion with God, Oh take heed of turning out of the paths of God, of any allurements from the fleſh, of any temptations, and eſpecially ſuch temptations as are ſutable to your corruptions, they will be alluring you to lead you aſide out of the waies of God, and ſeem to promiſe waies of contentment to the fleſh; Oh take heed of any ſuch thing, take heed of being allur'd through the deceitfulneſs of the fleſh, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in the 2 Epiſt. of Peter, 2. 18. (there he ſpeaks of ſome falſe teachers) When they ſpeak great ſwelling words of vanity, they allure through the luſts of the fleſh, through much wantonneſs, thoſe that were clean eſcaped from them who live in error. There were ſome that were eſcaped from the waies o error, from ſinful ungodly waies, and really eſcaped that is, in their kind, they were not hypocrites, that is, to make ſhew of one thing and do another, but what they did they did according to the light of their conſciences, but yet it was not through the ſanctifying ſaving work of God but through the ſtrength of a natural conſcience; and ſo they were allur'd through the luſts of the fleſh, and through wantonneſs, by thoſe that taught falſe Doctrine, but they together with their falſe Doctrine came to that that was ſutable to the fleſh. I beſeech you obſerve it, ſome that have been walking with God and then met with theſe that come with fair ſhews with that which is falſe, (and you may know it in this that it gives liberty to the fleſh) they think here's a fine, even, and ſmooth way that I may have content to the fleſh in; obſerve it, there's no ſuch way to allure ſuch as have by the power of the Word eſcaped from the waies of ſin in a great meaſure, no ſuch way (I ſay) to allure them as to come and ſhew them how they may make a profeſſion of godlineſs and yet have liberty to the fleſh too: Oh the Lord deliver yong beginners from the wantons of our age! the wantons that are in our generation that do allure them through the luſts of the fleſh, and promiſe liberty to them, for ſo the text ſaith, While they promiſe them liberty they themſelves are the ſervants of corruption: THEMSELVES: Mark, thoſe that promiſe them liberty, and bring ſuch Doctrine of liberty to you, they Themſelves are in the mean time the ſervants of corruption: Oh take heed of declining to the waies of the fleſh after thou haſt ſeem'd to begin in the ſpirit; what haſt thou to do in the way of Aſher and in the waies of Egypt? Oh thou that heretofore didſt ſeem to converſe with God, and to walk with him, what iniquity haſt thou found with me ſaith God? So what evil haſt thou found in the waies of God? Do you find them too difficult for you, Oh it is through the baſeneſs of thy heart, becauſe thy heart is not changed and made ſutable to that that is ſpiritual and holy, Oh that the Lord would be pleaſed to cauſe his Angel to meet with ſome that are declining from his good and bleſſed waies! as we read in the book of Geneſis, That the Angel met Hager when ſhe was flying from Abrahams family, from the Church of God, and ſaith he, Hager Sarah's Maid, from whence cameſt thou? doeſt thou come from Abraham's family? art thou going from thence? and where doſt thou think to find ſo much good as in Abraham's family, where the preſence of God is? So, Oh that God would meet with ſuch as are declining from the good waies of God, Oh thou ſoul whither art thou going? thou that haſt had the Word working upon thy heart and thou wert ſeem'd to be turned into the good waies of God, whither art thou going? are theſe the waies that are like the former waies that thou haſt ſeem'd to walk in? Oh what will be the end of theſe waies that now thou art in? Indeed they do give contentment unto the fleſh more than former waies, but doeſt thou think that the end of them will be peace? Oh that there were ſuch a meſſenger from God to meet thee in thoſe waies that thou art walking in, that thou maieſt ſay as the Church doth in the 2. of Hoſea, 7. verſe, I will return to my firſt husband, for then it was better with me than it is now: I was wont to have more peace, comfort, and ſweetnes in converſing with God in holy duties than now I find, I will return to thoſe waies of God; howſoever many looſe profeſſors ſeem to make a ſcorn of them and deride them, but Lord I am ſure I found more ſweetneſs in them then, than now; well I will return to them and labor to walk in them.
The Eighth Rule, or Direction.
Or if thou beeſt declined, Labor to keep a tenderneſs of ſpirit, ſo a… to be ſenſible of the beginnings of declining. It's true, we have a great deal of corruption while we remain here in this world, and our hearts are drawn quickly from the waies of God, I but if we could keep a ſpirit ſenſible of the beginnings of declining, we might yet keep our walk with God: That ſo ſoon as we are got but one ſtep from God, if we did but begin to bethink our ſelves; where are we? what are we doing? Oh this would cauſe us to return, and not to go ſo far off from God. For a man to go far from God is very dangerous, for then he begins to have many thoughts of diſpair, and ſo many times he growes even deſperate in his courſe, and gives up himſelf to exceſſe even to ſatisfie the luſts of the fleſh with greedineſſe: There are ſome men that are convinced in their conſciences that they are out of the way, and though they be convinced of it yet ſtill they go further and further off from God.
Why (you will ſay?) is that poſſible?
Yes, Becauſe having once made profeſſion of Religion, and departing from God, now the Devil follows him with diſpairing thoughts, he thinks now God will not receive him and accept of him upon his returning to him, and therefore he is reſolved that he will ſatisfie himſelf to the full; and I verily belee… this is the great reaſon why many Apoſtates turn ſo notoriouſly wicked as they do: when you ſee a man that hath been forward in Religion, and afterwards not only fall off, but you ſhall find him to be a drunkard, a whoremaſter, a ſcorner, you may almoſt conclude that this is the very ground of it, that though his conſcience be convinc'd that he is out of the way, yet he is in a deſperate manner ſet to have his pleaſure, becauſe he thinks God hath forſaken him, and he hath: forſaken God, and his luſts he will have, and poor creature that's all that he hath to ſatisfie himſelf withal; Oh take heed of getting far from God: hearken to this you that are far from righteouſnes as the Scripture ſpeaks: Oh it's a terrible thing to be gone far from God, labor to keep thy heart watchful of the beginnings of declining, and be tender and ſenſible of them.
The Ninth Rule, or Direction
Labor to be ſpiritual in thy ſolitary times. If you would walk with God, prize much your ſolitary times, and labor to be ſpiritual in them; do not loſe thoſe times when you are alone, when there's none but God and your ſelves together. And eſpecially you that have much buſineſs in the world; alas what little uſe do you for the moſt part make of your ſolitary times! when you are alone you know not what to do; but a man that would walk with God he had need be careful to be very ſpiritual there, now I am ſeparated from the world, now I have to deal with God and mine own ſoul, Oh! let me improve this, and get advantage by this, Oh! let me not be quiet till I get ſome converſe with God: Thoſe Chriſtians that are ſpiritual in their ſolitary times they will be very ſpiritual when they come into company. As Moſes, when he was alone with God upon the mount and came down unto the people his face did ſhine ſo as they were not able to bear it: Certainly, thoſe that are alone with God, and are ſpiritual, they will ſhine in holy converſation when they come down from the mount, when they come to converſe with others.
The Tenth Rule, or Direction.
Let Gods preſence be more to thee than all the world; account it more engagement to thy ſoul, that thou art with God that thou haſt Gods preſence with thee, than though thou hadſt the eye of all the world upon thee: It would mightily compoſe the ſpirits of men and women if they had an awful reverence of the preſence of God, and did account it more than al the world beſides, and therefore to do nothing in Gods preſence but what thou wouldeſt do in the ſight of all the world; or what thou maieſt do ſo as thy conſcience may not accuſe thee for ſin in it. Oh look upon the preſence of God as more than all the world unto thee.
The Eleventh Rule, or Direction.
Go on with a reſolution in the performance of holy duties though thou ſeeſt nothing come of them for the preſent. Though I have not what comfort I would, yet I am doing what duty I am commanded, I am yet in Gods way; and that ſhould ſatisfie every gracious heart, that though I have not what encouragements I would, yet that I am in Gods way, and let me keep in that way of God.
The Twelfth Rule, or Direction.
Make good interpretations of all Gods waies and dealings with thee. This is a mighty help to us to keep on in the way of God, and to walk with him. If God comes in a way of affliction, make good interpretation of the affliction, do not preſently conclude, that God appears like an enemy to thee, that will diſcourage thee in the waies of God; but look upon God as intending good unto thee in every thing; and that will help thee to keep cloſe to him, and to walk cloſe with him in every condition: If God ſeems to go out of the way of proſperity, and to come in the way of affliction, make good interpretations of it: do not therefore think that God is therefore leaving of thee and forſaking thee, but exerciſe faith in this, and beleeve that God may intend as much good to thee in that way as in any way whatſoever, and I ground this rule upon that text in the 12. Heb. In the former part of the chapter the Apoſtle ſpeaks of Gods chaſtening of his people, My Son deſpiſe not thou the chaſtening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him; for whom the Lord loveth he chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every ſon whom he receiveth: and in the 7. verſe, If ye endure chaſtening then God dealeth with you as with ſons: for what ſon is he whom the father chaſieneth not? but if ye be without chaſtiſements whereof all are partakers, then are ye baſtards and not ſons. So ſtill he goes on in the point of chaſtiſement, in the 9, 10, 11. verſes he ſpeaks of nothing but of chaſtiſements, now then in the 12. verſe he draws a concluſion from thence, having laid this as a ground, that we are to look upon God as a father in his chaſtiſements, Wherefore then lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make ſtraight paths for your feet, leſt that which is lame be turned out of the way. As if he ſhould ſay, when as you apprehend God in a way of wrath againſt you, and not in a way of love, your knees will be feeble and you will not be able to go on with that cheerfulneſs, and to walk with God in that hard way that he ſeems to call you too: But looking upon your ſelves as ſons, and God intending good unto you, that by chaſtiſements you may be made partakers of his holineſs; now ſaith he, lift up your hands that hang down, and thoſe feeble knees, thoſe feeble knees that were ſo weak whereby you were difinabled to walk with God: Thoſe feeble knees will be ſtrengthened if you make good interpretation of the waies of God, and beleeve that the Lord intends good unto you. And as in other chaſtiſements, ſo among the reſt the chaſtiſements of ſpiritual diſcertions; when God not only comes with outward afflictions upon you, but when the Lord ſhall come againſt you, even himſelf with ſpiritual diſcertions, and afflictions, even afflicting your ſouls you muſt make good interpretations of them.
You will ſay, That's hardeſt to walk with God; Indeed we may walk with God, and keep on in communion with him notwithſtanding outward afflictions, but when the Lord ſeems to withdraw himſelf, and when there is both outward and inward too, that's hard: For outward afflictions, I will give you one notable Scripture for a child of God, following hard after God though God ſeeme to withdraw himſelf from the ſoul, in the 63. Pſal. where by the title of the Pſalm you ſhall find that David was in the wilderneſs of Judah, and that was when Saul did perſecute him for his life: Saul perſecuted David and followed him, and David was fain to ſculk up and down in the wilderneſs of Judah from place to place, and yet mark, O God, thou art my God, (for all that) early will I ſeek thee, my ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth for thee in a dry and thirſty land, where no water is: And then in the 8. verſe, My ſoul followeth hard after thee; though Lord thou ſeem'ſt to withdraw thy ſelf from me in regard of theſe outward adminiſtrations, yet my ſoul followeth hard after thee (ſaith David) notwithſtanding. If times of affliction, when God ſeems to withdraw himſelf by his afflictions, yet our ſouls ſhould follow hard after God: Doth God ſeem to go from us as if he would not walk with us? Oh run after him: As a poor child if the mother ſeems to go away from it, and gets over a ſtile before it, the child cries and runs after: So it was with David, when the Lord did ſeem by thoſe adminiſtrations of his to be going away from him, ſaith he, My ſoul follows hard after him. And this is an excellent frame of ſpirit, that the more the Lord ſeems to be gone from a Chriſtian, the more hard doth the ſoul follow after God, nothing can ſatisfie ſuch a one but God himſelf; and therefore he ſaith, Lord, my ſoul thirſteth after Thee in a dry land, he doth not ſay after water, but after Thee. So in any affliction, if thou canſt ſay this, Lord, it is not ſo much the deliverance from an affliction that my ſoul thirſteth after, but Oh Lord! thou knoweſt my ſoul thirſts after thee, and may the affliction be but made up in thy ſelf it is ſufficient, I never find my ſoul following more earneſtly after thee than now in the time of my affliction.