these be continued in their power and purity there the Tabernacle of God is among men and when these are taken away I-chabod the Glory is departed We may say God hath forsaken us As the Ark was a Tipe and Token of God special presence with the Jews so the Gospel and Gospel Ordinances are a signal Token of Gods abode with us for in these we may see him in these we may enjoy him by these we may be made like to him as in the 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face behold as in a Glasse the Glory of God and are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Thirdly They make their abode with them in the Spirit which proceeds from the Father and the Son So they may both be said truly to abide with us while we have the Spirit the Comforter which proceeds from the Father and the Son as a pledge of their Love Joh. 15.20 When the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father I will send him sayes Christ even the Spirit of truth which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which proceeds from the Father there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son to the People that keep his word and thus Believers are said to hold fellowship with the Father and the Son in the 1 Epist of John 13. It is by the Spirit we are drawn being drawn we come being come we are enabled to walk with God and Christ It is this Spirit that doth all for us As in the Ecche The Ayre being moved by the voice returns the same sound by its own motion So in all our Communion with God and Christ the Soul being moved by the Spirit returns answer by vertue of the Spirits motion in us Come sayes the Spirit I come sayes the Soul being taught by the same Spirit All the works wrought on the Souls of men in order to Salvation are wrought of God and Christ in us but by the Spirit As in these three special particulars First By the Spirit they instruct and teach The Spirit is an enlightning Spirit a Spirit of Judgement and of burning The Spirit reveals the Counsels of God the great Misteries of the Kingdom Leads into all truth makes men wise to Salvation Secondly By this Spirit they quicken comfort the Souls of men Rom. 5.5 It is by the Spirit that the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts Our cold and frozen Spirits are warmed and made fit for action and by this Spirit we are awaken'd Hence the Church prayes for the breathings of this Spirit Cant. 4.16 Awake O North-wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Thirdly By this Spirit they do strengthen and establish the hearts of men in the wayes of Holinesse thus they are made strong in the Lord and in the power of his might strong to resist tentations strong to suppesse corruptions strong to perform duties by this Spirit they are carryed through all difficulties by this Spirit their Infirmities are healed Rom. 8.26 they are made to persevere and kept stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord and Sealed up to the day of Redemption Thus God and Christ do make their abode with them that keep the words of Christ till they come to make an everlasting abode with them in Heaven And according to the workings of this Spirit more or lesse in the hearts of men God is said to be present or absent from his people Reasons Secondly The Reasons why God and Christ will make their abode with them that keep his words Reas 1 First Because of their special Love to and Care of them that keep his words Indeed all the Care of God in concerning his people that he hath in the World therefore in the Second Commandement he is said to shew mercy to thousands of them that fear him and keep his Commandements that do not cast his word behind their backs and forsaking his Appointments follow their own Inventions So that if we faithfully keep his word he will abide with us in our work And this is the Great Reason in the Text My Father will Love him Not but that he Loves his Elect from Eternity but he will manifest his Love to them and therefore he will make his abode with them as the People of his Love for in Deut. 32.9 The Lords Portion is his People and Jacob is the Lot of his Inheritance and in Mal. 3.17 they are called his Jewels and men will abide with their Treasure Reas 2 Secondly Because of the near Relation that is between God and Christ and them that keep his word That is a very full place of Scripture for this purpose Mat. 12.50 Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in Heaven the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother What nearer Relation can there be than this So near are they to Jesus Christ that keep his word observe his will and be true and faithful to his Appointments and sure such near Relations will desire Cohabitation on both sides First God and Christ are said to stand Related in a Paternal Relation Secondly They are said to stand Related in a Conjugal Relation First God and Christ stand in a Paternal Relation to his People First God is their Father and they are his Sons and Daughters And this the Church doth acknowledge in Isai 63.16 Doubtless thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not thou O Lord art our Father c. And with this the Lord comforted mourning Zion Isai 49.14,15 But Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me But God sayes Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have Compassion on the Son of her womb Yea they may forget yet I will not forget thee Behold I have graven thee on the palms of my Hands c. My abode is with thee Secondly Jesus Christ is their Father Isai 9.6 The everlasting Father Therefore he promiseth his Disciples in this 14. Joh. 18. I will not leave you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orphans or Fatherlesse Children He is the most affectionate tender hearted Father Tam Pater nemo tam pius nemo None so good none such a Father as he 〈◊〉 Tertul. Secondly God and Christ stand related to them that keep his word in a Conjugal relation and God hath said a special command of co-habitation upon persons in this relation The man must dwell with his own Wife First God is related as a Husband And will not God dwell with his People whom he hath espoused to himself I have betrothed thee unto me for ever Hosea 2.19 Yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgement and in loving kindness and in mercies I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness And
The Royal Presence OR GODS Tabernacle with MEN IN A FAREWELL SERMON Preached the 17. of August 1662. at Beere Regis in the County of Dorset By that painfull and faithfull Minister of the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST Mr. PHILIP LAMBE And committed to publick view for the Instruction Support and comfort of others Isa 30.20 Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers John 10.27 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me 2 Epist John ver 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son 1 John 2.5 Whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the Love of God perfected LONDON Printed in the Year 1662. To the Reader Courteous Reader WEe the Inhabitants of Beere and Kingstone in the County of Dorset who have lived under the Rich Droppings Plentiful Soul-searching Enlivening and Refreshing Dews of Heaven which HE who promised to be as the Dew unto Israel Hos 14.5 hath conveyed to us by one of his Eminent and Faithful Messengers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ thâ—… for many years amongst us hath endeavoured as the Apostle speaks of himself to be pure from the blood of all men and to declare All and Onely the Counsels of God Acts 20.26,27 And was instant in Season and out of Season diligent in the work of the Lord according as the same Apostle doth strictly exhort unto taking heed to himself and to the flock over the which the Holy Ghost made him Overseer See 2 Tim. 4.1,2 And of whom we can truly say and to which many can bear witnesse that he was and is an example of the Believers in Word in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity 1 Tim. 4.12 His Life and Conversation adorns his Profession and Doctrine And having received much Benefit and Comfort by his Ministry have endeavoured to Communicate to thee some of those Spiritual advantages and Consolations we have enjoyed through the Blessing of God upon his diligent and faithful Labours in his last publick Exercise which he deliverod amongst us Wishing the like Benefit and Comfort to thee and more also than we have had Because of our Non-improvement of such choice Mercies and rich Priviledges which we have sufficient cause to be Humbled for And continually to lament that we are now deprived of them by his removal from us And had this following discourse been set sorth to publick view by the Author himself whose Modesty would conceal his worthy Labours It would have been more large and perfect and so render'd more acceptable We must therefore desire thee Christian Reader with a charitable Censure to cover over verbal or literal mistakes and in Love to Correct with thy pen what may be found amisse by thee in this following Treatise wherein are contained Things of the most weighty concernment and which are Exceeding useful at all time for Edification and Instruction to All and will Administer matter of sufficient Comfort under any Condition to them that have the Special Abode of God and Christ with them The Lord Jesus Christ by his Spirit lead thee into all Truth So Prayes Thine in Christ VINCENTI DABITUR The Royal Presence OR Gods Tabernacle with Men. JOHN XIV XXIII Jesus answered and said unto him If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our Abode with him THE Departure of Jesus Christ unto his Father from whose bosome he came into the World was very sadly resented by his Disciples whose mixt passions produce a very great disturbance and trouble upon their Spirits The inward Anxiety and unconcealed grief of the Disciples move the Bowels of their more affectionate Lord to pitty their case and provide for their relief and gives them instructions how to expresse their love unto him in his absence not so much in carrying bluber'd eyes and heavy hearts as by remembring and observing the Councels and Instructions that he had give to them while he was present with them So that this whole Chapter is fill'd up with Counsels and Comforts Directions and Consolations First Directions and Counsels especially in the 1 13 15. verses 1 Faith First To the exercise of Faith verse 1. Ye believe in God believe also in me And this is the life even a life of Faith which we must live till we come to enjoyment of Christ by which we fetch comforts in all troubles and strength against all tentations from Jesus Christ 2. Prayer Secondly To the duty of Prayer vers 13. which is the proper duty of an afflicted State as Jam. 5.13 Is any afflicted let hiâ— pray By prayer the Soul empties his complaints into Gods bosome and finds ease by telling him of all the trouble and grief that attends his state Prayer hath that Divine excellency that like a Heavenly Charm it speaks away trouble and speaks in comfort as 't is said of Hannah 1 Sam. 1.18 She prayed and went away and did eat and her Countenance was no more sad And thus our prayers alwayes speed when they be made by the help of the Spirit and offered up to God in the name of Christ 13 14. verses Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name that you shall receive 3. Obedience Thirdly To Obedience in the 15 vers to do the work committed to them If yee love me keep my Commandements You cannot better expresse your love to me then in keeping my words Nor is there a more certain way for men to find comfort than this 3 Prâ— 17. by keeping his Commands for then though they cannot enjoy his person yet they shall not misse his promise Secondly The Consolations which he gives them in the 2 vers c. the 16 vers c. and 23 vers c. 1. The place to which he goes First In the 2 3 4 verses c. From the place whether he was going To his Father and their Father his Home and their Home whence he did intend to come again to them So that his going from them was but a Recesse or withdrawing for a time untill he came for in the 3 vers I will come again and receive you to my self rendred in the Greek a Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the presentense I come again in the presentense to intimate the certainty of his coming to them again as if he were already come which in the 28 vers of this Chapter Christ tells them should be matter of great Joy to them If yee loved me yee would rejoyce because I said I go unto the Father The promise of his Spirit the Comforter Secondly From the 16 v. The promise of the Spirit which shall supply his
absence such a Spirit as shall teach them comfort them and be â—…ead of all to them give them such Joy Courage and 〈◊〉 as the world can neither give nor take away 27 vers Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you c. The abode of God and Christ with them Thirdly In the 23. verse in the Text We will come and makeour abode with him while you keep my words which is the great promise here If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him The words of the Text are an answer to the question of Judas not Iscariot Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world Jesus Christ gives the answer If a man love me he will keep my words c. To him the promise is made That the Father will love him They love him that keep his words and to these he hath said he will manifest his love to them and make his abode with them In which words there are three parts considerable Parts of the Text. 3. First A Supposition If a man love me he c. Secondly A Position Which is the effect of that love He will keep my words Thirdly A Promise Which is twofold First Of the Fathers love My Father will love him Secondly The Co-habitation of the Father and Son with such a person We will come unto him and make our abode with him The Observations that I intend to insist upon are two Doct. 2 First That it is the duty and special property of them that love Jesus Christ in sincerity to keep the words of Christ Secondly That God and Christ will make their abode with them that keep his words First Of the first of these That it is the duty and special property of them that love Jesus Christ in sincerity to keep the words of Christ. If any man love me he will keep my words he will do my will walk in my wayes treasure up my truths and Counsells This Doctrine requires three things to be spoken to in their order First That Jesus Christ must be truly loved Secondly What it is to keep his words Thirdly Why it is both the duty and property of them that love him to keep his words First That Jesus Christ must be truly loved there is such an indispensible necessity of this that the Apostle sayes 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha let him be cursed But because every one pretends highly to love Jesus Christ and but few that love him indeed I shall shew two things more briefly First Who he is that truly loves him Secondly Why we should all truly love him First Who he is that truly loves Christ First He truly loves Jesus Christ who upon the discovery and tender of Jesus Christ in the Gospel as King Priest and Prophet can willingly deny all for him as the Merchant Mat. 13.45.46 sold all that he had for the goodly Pearl And so Paul Phil. 3.8 accounts all Dung his parts his righteousness by the Law his greatest excellencies He loves Christ in Deed and not in Shew only who can leave the world his dearest lusts his best righteousness for Christ This is a true conjugal love Psal 45.10 Hearken O daughter and confider and encline thine ear forget also thine own people c. When Christ sees that we have such a love to him that we will part with all for him then he sees a beauty in us that delights him Secondly He truly loves Jesus Christ who having received him will rather lose all than part with him again who accounts Jesus Christ better than his best things as he sayes in Mat. 10.37 He that loves Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me c. therefore sayes the Spouse Cant. 8.6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart as a seal upon thine arm let me be so united to thee that I may never be sever'd from thee It is a very hard lesson and an irksom duty for the best of men to part with friends liberty peace life all these or either of these sweet mercies but to part with Christ nothing can perswade or enforce the Soul that truly loves him that 's a thought more cruel than the Grave witness the holy Martyrs a whole cloud of witnesses that notable and eminent Galeacius Marquess of Vâ—… c. Thirdly He that truly loves Jesus Christ takes abundance of delight in Communion with him No pleasure like the kisses of his mouth no sweetness like that of his bosom all his wayes are peace and his paths pleasantnesse Christ makes every condition Comfortable there is no comfort of life but in that little enjoyment of Christ that the Soul hath in his life 't is Communion with Christ converse with him that is all my comfort and pleasure in the world O how doth the Spouse take care that he be not disturbed in Cant. 2.7 I charge you O yee daughters of Jerusalem by the Roes and by the Hinds of the field that ye stirr not up nor awake my Love till he please The words are an allusion to one that would not have her Friend disturbed and speaks to her Companions and charges them by all that is dear and pleasant to them not to break the rest of her best Beloved and shews the wonderful delight the Soul takes in Communion with Jesus Christ and the special care that it alwayes hath that no Tentation break in nor corruption break out to interrupt that sweet Communion or occasion Christs departure who will not for any profit commit any sin or cause Jesus Christ to depart from him Fourthly He that truly loves Jesus Christ having lost the sight of him is never satisfied till he come to the re-enjoyment of him is alwayes at losse and is never quiet till he enters into a fresh acquaintance and communion with him as in that of Joseph and Mary they having lost their Son went seeking till they found him So Cant. 3.1,2,3 c. By night on my Bed I sought him whom my Soul loveth I sought him but I found him not I will rise now and go about the City in the Streets and in the broad wayes c. I said to the Watchmen Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth c. By all which is expressed the sedulous care and industry of a living Soul seeking after Christ First By night in her bed Jesus Christ hath her bed thoughts i. in her Closet and private duties of Prayer serious Meditations Spiritual Ejaculations and secret self Examinations in all these the Soul enquires As one that loves the World by night his Meditation is of the World so the man of pleasures and honours is pursuing his lusts in the night season The wicked man is contriving mischief upon his bed So the Soul that loves Christ his thoughts are still at