Priests with sounding Trumpets to cry alarm against you O Children of Israel Num 23. 23. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob neither is there any Divination against Israel That is there is none against Israel that shall be of force or that shall take any effect to do the posterity of Jacob or Israel any hurt any harm any prejudice But why because the Lord his God is with him and the shout of a King is among them The presence of God with his Israel blasts all Balaams enchantments and makes null and void all his Divinations God is with his People to counsel them in all doubtful and difficult cases and to defend them and secure them Num. 23. 1 13 28 29. Cap. 24. 1. 2 Sam. 16. 7 9 11 12. Jer. 15. 10. Cap. 1. 17 18 19. against all their enemies and opposers Balaam had a moneths mind to curse the People of God as his wearied endeavours to that purpose do abundantly evidence But the presence of God with his People prevented all his mischievous designs Shemei curses David but his curses could not hurt him for God was with him The People generally cursed Jeremiah but all their curses could not harm him for God was with him The Jews in their prayers daily curse the Christian Exod. 20. 24. Churches but all their curses can't prejudice them because God is in the midst of them And who will say that the reformed Churches are one pin the worse for all the Popes excommunications and execrations with Bell Book and Candle The signal prefence of God with his People is a most soveraign antidote against all the curses and cursings of cursed men and therefore what ever you part with be sure you don't part with your God let him be but in the midst of you and then no curses shall be prevalent against you This age abounds with such monsters whose mouths are full of curses but if every curse should stick a visible blister on the cursers tongue as it doth insensible ones on the cursers soul their tongues would quickly be too big for their mouths and they would soon grow weary of cursing the People of God the things of God the wayes of God the providences of God and the faithful dispensers of the mysteries of God but the best of it is when they have done their worst and spit out all their curses the curse causeless shall not come for the ever blessed God is in his People Prov. 26. 2. and with his People and among his People and a Zach. 2. 5. wall of fire alwayes about his People and therefore they are safe and secure enough when men and Devils have done their worst But Tenthly and lastly To move you so to order demean 10 Motive and carry your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider that the Divine presence will make up the absence of all outward comforts this gracious presence will supply and fill up the place of a friend a child a father a husband Some of the Rabbies write that Manna had all sorts of tasts and all sorts of sweets in it Sure I am that the favourable presence of God has Psal 4. 6 7. all sorts of sweets in it it has the sweet of all ordinances in it it has the sweet of all duties in it it has the sweet of Prov. 4. 23. all Church priviledges in it it has the sweet of all Relations in it it has the sweet of all your outward comforts in it and therefore above all keeping keep the presence of God with you Many in their distresses and miseries are full of complaints one cries out he wants a faithful Friend another cries out he wants an active Relation a third cries out that he wants necessaries both â—or back and belly a fourth cries out he wants the means that others enjoy but he that enjoyes the gracious presence of God finds all these wants made up to him Yea he finds the Divine presence to be infinitly better 1 Sam. 1. 8. than the presence of all outward comforts As Elkanah said to Hannah Am not I better than ten Sons So assuredly the presence of the Lord is wonderfully better than all other things to every soul that has tasted the sweetness of it You know that one Sun is more glorious delightful useful and comfortable than ten thousand Stars so here Seneca tells a Courtier that had lost his Son Fas tibi non est salvo Caesare de fortuna tua queri c. That he had no cause to mourn either for that or ought else so long as his Soveraign was in safety and he in favour with his Soveraign he had all things in him and he should be unthankfull to his good fortune if he were not chearful both in heart and look so long as things stood so with him as they did How much more may we say to every sincere Christian that enjoyes the gracious presence of God with him Let thy wants and thy crosses be never so great thy afflictions never so pressing thy necessities never so biting thou hast no just cause to be troubled or dejected so long as thou art in favour with God and enjoyest the presence of God All mercies all comforts all contentments all enjoyments they meet and center in the gracious presence of God as all lights meet in the Sun and as all waters meet in the Sea and therefore let not that soul mourn or complain of the want of any thing who enjoyes that gracious presence of God that is better than every terreâ—e thing Thus much for the motives But some may say O Sir what means should we use that we may enjoy the gracious presence of the Lord with us in our greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers I answer first there are some things that you must carefully shun and take heed off As First take heed of high sinnings take heed of scandalous sins High sinnings do greatly dishonour God wound conscience reproach Religion stagger the weak grieve the strong open the mouths of the wicked and provoke God to withdraw his gracious presence Psalm 51. 11 12. Exod. 32. 8. Cap. 33. 3. Isa 63. 10. Turn to these Scriptures and seriously ponder upon them Great transgressions do eclypse the favour of God as well as the honour of God In great transgressions we turn our backs upon God and God turns away his face from us Gross sins will provoke God to withdraw his presence both in respect of vigour and strength as also in respect of peace and comfort But Secondly take heed of impenitency Next to our being preserved from sin it is the greatest mercy in the world when we are fallen by our transgressions to make a quick and speedy return to God When by your sins Hosea 6. 1. Exod. 3â— 9. to 15. you have made work for repentance for hell or for the
him in the sight of all Israel be strong and of a good courage c. And why all this not because Joshua had discovered any faint-heartedness or cowardise but because the work he was to undertake was so weighty and perillous in regard of those many and mighty Nations whom he was to destroy and plant the Israelites in their room the work that Joshua was to undertake was attended with many great difficulties and dangers in respect of the Enemies he was to encounter as being men of vast and Giant-like statures and strength and dwelling in Cities with high walls and strongly fortified Now the main Argument to raise his courage and mettle is drawn from Gods special presence and assistance Joshua 1. 9. For the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest We are not to understand it of Gods general presence in all places but of his special favourable signal and eminent presence which God would manifest in his preservation and protection notwithstanding all the difficulties enterprises dangers and Enemies that he was to encounter with So 2 Chron. 32. 7. Be strong and courageous be not afraid nor dismayed for the King of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him for there be more with us than with him Verse 8. With him is an arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battels c. At this time the King of Assyria was the greatest Monarch in the world and the most formidable Enemy Israel had he had a mighty Army for there was a hundred fourscore and five thousand of them slain in one night Verse 21. Now the great thing they were to mind and attend was to look narrowly to it that the favourable signal and eminent presence of God with them did raise all their hearts above all discouragements fears and dismayedness what is the chaff to the whirl-wind what are thorns and briars to a consuming fire what is an arm of flesh to the arm strength and power of a God what is weakness to strength and the nothing Creature to the Lord of Hosts Now if the special signal presence of God with his People in their greatest troubles and most deadly dangers won't put singular courage life and mettle into them what will Acts 23. verse 10. And when there arose a great dissention the chief Captain fearing lâ—â—â— Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them commanded the Souldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and to bring him into the Castle Verse 11. And the night following the Lord stood by him namely in a vision or in a dream or in an extasie and said be of good cheer Paul for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem so must thou bear witness also at Rome The favourable signal presence of the Lord with him turned â—is Prison into a Palace Mr. Philpot being a Act. and Mon. 1663. prisoner for the testimony of Jesus writes thus to his Friends Though I tell you that I am in hell in the judgement of this world yet assuredly I feel in the same the consolation of heaven I praise God and this loathsome and horrible prison is as pleasant to me as the walks in the garden of the Kings-Bench When Paul was in See Actâ— 27. â—3 24. great danger the Lord stood by him to cheer comfort and encourage him Now God claps him on the back and puts new life and mettle into him When Dionysius was given up by the Executioner to be beheaded he remained constant and couragious saying come life come death I will worship none but the God of Heaven and Earth When Chrysostom had told Eudoxia the empress that for her covetousness she would be called a second Jezebel she thereupon sent him a threatning message to which he gave this stout and resolute answer Go tell her Nil nisi peccatum timeo I fear nothing but sin When the Executioner had kindled the fire behind Jerom of Prague he bad him kindle it before his face for said he if I had been afraid of it I had not come to this place having had so many opportunities offered me to escape it At the giving up of the ghost he said Hanc animam in flammis offero Christe tibi This soul of mine in flames of fire O Christ I offer thee The Emperour coming into Germanie sent for Luther to Worms but many of his friends from the danger they apprehended hanging over his head disswaded him from going to whom he gave this prudent couragious and resolute answer That these discouragements were cast in his way by Satan who knew that by his profession of the Truth in so illustrious a place his Kingdom would be shaken and that therefore if he knew that there were as many Devils in Worms as there were tiles on the houses yet he woulâ— go The German Knight in his Apologetical Letter for Luther against the Pontifical Clergy saith I will go through with what I have undertaken against you and will stir up men to seek their freedom I neither care nor fear what may befal me being prepared for either event either to ruine you to the great benefit of my Country of my self to fall with a good conscienee c. William Flower the Martyr said That the Heavens should assoon fall as I will forsake my profession or budge in the least degree from it Apollonius being asked If he did not tremble at the sight of the Tyrant made this answer God which gave him a terrible countenance hath given also unto me an undaunted heart When Gardiner asked Rowland Taylor If he did not know him c. To whom he answered Yea I know you and all you greatness yet you are but a mortal man and if I should be afraid of your Lordly looks why fear ye not God the Lord of us all Basil affirms of the primitive Christians that they had so much courage and magnanimity of spirit in their sufferings that many Heathens seeing their heroick zeal resoluteness and undauntedness turned Christians When one of the ancient Martyrs was terrifyed with the threatnings of his persecutors he replyed There is nothing of things visible nor nothing of things invisible that I fear I will stand to my profession of the Name of Christ and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints come on 't what will By these instances which may be of great use in this trying day you may clearly see how the Lord has manifested his favourable signal and eminent presence to his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by raising up in them a spirit of courage magnanimity and holy gallantry But Seventhly the Lord doth manifest his favourable signal and eminent presence to his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers by preserving them from troubles in the midst of troubles from dangers in the midst of dangâ—rs Dan. 3.
14. Rev. 3. 8 9. Acts 4. 13. Cap. 6. 15. John 7. 44 45 46 c. rose up in hast and spake and said unto his Counsellors did we not cast three men into the fire They answered and said unto the King True O King Verse 25. He answered and said Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God Now see what a majesty there is in this presence of Christ with his People in the fire to convince Nebuchadnezzar and to render the three Champions very glorious in his eyes Verse 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said Blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abed-nego who hath sent his Angel and delivered his servants that trusted in him and have changed the Kings word and yielded their bodies that that they might not serve nor worship any God except their own God Vers 29. Therefore I make a decree that every people nation and language which speak 〈…〉 ing amiss against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abed-nego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a dunghil because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort Verse 30. Then the King promoted Shadrach Meshach and Abednego in the Province of Babylon The presence of the Lord with the three Children commanded favour respect reverence and honour from this great Monarch Nebuchadnezzar The presence of God with his People is very Majestical the greatest Monarchs have fallen down before it not only Nebuchadnezzar but also Darius falls down before the signal presence of God with Daniel Dan. 6. 20. ult Mark 6. 20. 2 Kings 11 1 2. 1 Sam. 24 17. when he was in the Lions den And Herod falls down before the presence of God with John And King Joash falls down before the presence of God with Jehojada And Saul falls down before the presence of God with David Thou are more righteous than I c. And Alexander the Emperour falls down before the presence of God in Jaddus the High-Priest In the signal presence of God with his People in their affliction there is such a sparkling lustre that none can behold it but must admire it and bow before the graceful Majesty of it such has been the signal presence of God with the Martyrs in their fiery trials that many have been convinced and converted I have read of a Citizen of Paris who was burnt for Protestantism how the presence of God did so History of the Council of Trent pag. 418. 2. Edit shine in his courage and constancy that many did curiously enquire into that religion for which he so stoutly and resolutely suffered so that the number of Sufferers was much increased thereby I read that Cicilia a poor Virgin by her gracious behaviour in her Martyrdom was the means of converting four hundred to Christ It was the observation of Mr. John Lindsay that the very smoak of Mr. Hamilton converted as many as it blew upon Alexandrinus cites Platu expressing Clemens Alex. Strom. l. 4. p. 495. himself thus Although a righteous man be tormented although his eyes be digged out yet he remains a blessed Man The same Plato could say That no gold or precious stone doth glister so gloriously as the prudent Spirit of a good man And the very Hittites could say of Abraham who had a very signal presence of God with him Thou art a Prince of God among us Genes 23. 6. not that he was a King or had any Authority over them as the Septuagint reads Thou art a King from God among us But he is called a Prince of God say some because Lyran. Tostat he was as Gods Oracle the Lord speaking to him by visions and dreams unto whom they had recourse for counsel in difficult matters Others say he is called Prince of God because God prospered him and made him famous for his virtue and godliness But the Hebrews commonly speak so of all things that are notable and excellent because all excellency cometh from God As the Angel of God the Mount of God the City of God Exod. 3. 2. Cap. 4. 37. Psalm 26. 4. Gen. 30. 8. the wrestlings of God c. Thou art a Prince of God that is thou art a most excellent Person Seneca saw so much excellency that Morality put upon a man that he could say Ipse aspectus boni viri deleciat The very looks of a good man delights one And why then may not the Sons of Heth call him a Prince of God from that majesty and glory that they saw shine forth in his graces and in his gracious behaviour and conversation and because they did observe a signal presence of God with him in all he did it being no higher observation than what Abimelech had made before them Chrysostom Gen. 21. 22. speaking of Babylas the Martyr saith Magnus atque admirabilis vir c. He was an excellent and admirable man c. Tertullian writing to some of the Martyrs who had a mighty presence of God with them saith Non tantus sum ut vos alloquar c I am not good enough to speak unto you Oh! that my life and a thousand more such wretches might go for yours c. In Queen Marie's days not of blessed but of abhorred memory the People of God met sometimes 40. sometimes 100. sometimes 200. together the fiery persecutors of that day sent in one among them to spy out their practices to give information of their names that they might be brought to Smithfield Fâ—x Acts Mon. 1881. shambles But there was such a presence of God in the Assembly of his People that this Informer was convinced and converted and cryed them all mercy 1 Cor. 14. 24. But if all prophefie and there come in one that believeth not or one unlearned he is convinced of all he is judged of all Verse 25. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down on his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth It may be before they came to the Assembly of the Saints they had hard thoughts of the People of God they thought that folly was in them or that disloyalty was in them or that madness and rebellion was in them or that plots and designs against the Government was in them or that the Devil was in them O but now such a Majestical presence of God appears in the midst of his People that the Unbeliever is convinced and confesses that God is in them of a truth Blessed Bradford had such a signal presence of God with him in his sufferings as begot great reverence and admiration not only in the hearts of his Friends but in the very hearts of very many Papists also Henry the Second King of Acts Monum page 1458. France being present at the Martyrdom of a poor Taylor who was
virtually all evil will be raising doubts and cavils and objections in the soul so that if God does not stand by us now what can we say what can we do how can we bear up how can we stand fast What was Sampson that Judges 16. 19 20. man of strength when his hair was gone but as weak as water and what is the strongest Christian when his God is gone but as weak as weakness it self all our doing strength and all our suffering strength and all our bearing strength and all our witnessing strength lies in the special presence of God with our souls all our comforts and all our supports and all our ease and all our refreshments flow from the presence of God with our souls in our greatest troubles and deepest distresses and therefore if God should leave us in a day of trouble what would become of us and whither should we go and where should we find rest When doth a man need a Brother or Friend but in a day of adversity A Brother Prov. 17. 17. is born for adversity though at other times Brethren may jar and jangle and quarrel yet in a day of adversity in a strait in a stress birth and good blood and good nature will be working Adversity breeds love and unity Ridley and Hooper differed very much about Ceremonies in the day of their liberty but when they were both Prisoners in the Tower thâ—â— they could agree well enough and then they could be mutual comforts one to another and when does a Christian most need the strength of God the consolations of God the supports of God the teachings and quicknings of God and the signal singular presence of God but when they are in the greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers When the People of God are in a low and afflicted condition then the Lord knows that that Isa 33. 9. 10. is the season of seasons for him to grace them with his gracious presence When calamities and dangers break in upon us and when all heads and hands and hearts and counsels are set against us now is the time for God to help us for God to succour us for God to stand by us But. Fifthly the Lord will be signally present with his 5 Reason People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers because he dearly loves them God Deut. 7. 6 7 8. Amat quiâ— amat Bernard entirely loves his People and therefore he will not leave his People persons whom we entirely love we cannot leave especially when they are in a distressed condition Prov. 17 17. A friend loves at all times saith Solomon and God is such a friend God loves not by fits and starâ—â— as many do but his love is like himself sincere and stedfast because he loves them he won't forsake them when they are in the greatest troubles and most terrible dangers 1 Sam. 12. 22. For the Lord will not forsake his People for his great Namessake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People He chose you for his love and he still loveth you for his choice and therefore he won't forsake you Chide you he may but forsake you he won't for it will not stand with the glory of God to leave a People to forsake a People of his love Should I cast you off whom I love the Heathen Nations would say that I was mutable in my purposes or unfaithful in my promises Though David's Parents forsook him yet God did not forsake Psalm 27. 10. him but took him up into his care and keeping It is the deriding question which the enemies of the Saints put Psâ—lm 79. 10. to them in the time of their greatest troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers Vbi Deus Where is now your God But they may safely and groundedly return this answer when they are at lowest Hic Deus Our God is here he is nigh unto us he is round about Isa 52. 12. us and he is in the midst of us Witness that golden promise that is more worth than a world I will never leave thee nor forsake thee God is a God of bowels a Heb. 13. 5 11. Hos 8. 9. Mich. 7. 19. Jer. 31. 18 19 20. God of great pity a God of tender compassion and therefore he will not leave his People in a time of distress Parents bowels do most yearn towards their Children when they are sick and weak and most in danger it goes to the very heart of a man to leave a friend in misery but what are the bowels of men to the bowels of God! or the compassions of men to the compassions of God! There is an Ocean of love in the hearts of Parents 2 Sam. 19. 6. towards their children when they are in distress and this love makes them sit by their children and sit up with their children and not stir from their children Gods love does so link his heart to his People in their deep distresses Psalm 91. 15. that he can't leave them he can't stir from them Isa 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee Well and what then This love so endeares unites God to his People that he can't leave them he can't stir one foot from them V. 2. When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee The Lord dearly loves his People and he highly prizes his People and he greatly delights in his People and therefore he will be signally present with his People both in the fire and in the water both in the fire of persecution and iâ— the waters of affliction God loves the persons of his People and he loves the presence of his People and he loves the graces of his People and he loves the services of his People and he loves the fellowship of his People and therefore he will never leave his People but stand by them and be signally present with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses Such is Gods singular love to his Covenant-People that he will neither forsake them nor forget them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers The Jews were low yea very low in Babylon their distresses were great and their dangers many they looked upon themselves as so many dead Ezek. 37. 1. to 15. men Our bones are dry our hope is lost and we are cut off for our parts They looked upon themselves both as forsaken and forgotten by God Behold captive Sion lamentingly saith The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord Isa 49. 13. to 18. Psalm 84. 7. Isa 1. 27. Heb. 12. 22. hath forgotten me Sion is taken several wayes in Scripture 1. For the place properly so called where they were wont to meâ—t to worship
that consumes all This wrath will break down all the sinners arrogancies and strangle all his vain hopes and mar all his sensual joyes and fill him with amazing distractions and make him drunk with the wine of astonishment And will God dwell with these will he keep house with these surely no. By these short hints it is most evident that the special presence of God is entailed upon none out of Covenant Joh 14. 21 2◠2 Cor. 1. 16 17. 18 God loves to keep house with none but his Covenant-People he will grace none with his gracious presence 1. Sam. 28. 15 16 c. but those that are his People by special grace When wicked men are in great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers God either leaves them as he did Saul or else pursues them to an utter over-throw as he did Pharaoh or else cuts them off by an invisible hand as he did Sennacherib's mighty Hosts and proud King Herod Ex 14. Isa 37. 36. Act. 12. 23. or else he leaves them to be their own executioners as he did Achitophel and Judas c. But The 3. Proposition is this that a sincere Christian may 3 Proposition Psal 119. 117. enjoy the presence of the Lord in great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers supporting and upholding of him when he has not the presence of God quickning comforting and joying of him Psal 37. 24. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth This is the upholding Psalm him with his hand Somech Jado Vpholding with his hand There is not one moment wherein the Lord doth not uphold his People by the hand The root Samach signifies to sustain and bear up as the Nurse or tender Mother does the little child the weak child the sick child Gods hand is still under his so that they can never fall below supporting grace Psal 63. 8. Thy right hand upholdeth me or Thy right hand underprops me God never did nor never will want a hand to uphold a hand to underprope his poor People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses Though the Saints have not alwayes the comforting presence of God in their afflictions yet they have always the supporting presence of God in their afflictions as Christ in his bitter and Mat. 27 46. My Go◠my God c. bloody Agony had much of the supporting presence of his Father when he had none of the comforting presence of his Father with him So the Saints in their deep distresses have many times much of the supporting presence of God His left hand is under their heads and his right Cant. 2. 6. hand doth embrace them when in respect of his comforting presence they may say with the weeping Prophet Lam. 1. 16. The Comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me When the love-sick Spouse was ready to faint Christ circleth her with amiable embracements His left hand is under her head and his right hand doth embrace her It is an allusion to their conjugal and mensal beds on which the guests are so bestowed that the first laid his left hand under the head of him that was next and put him so in in his bosom that with his other hand he might also if he pleased embrace him which was a posture and sign of the greatest love which the sick fainting Spouse here glories in Christs two hands are testimonies and witnesses of his great power and might who is able to preserve his People though lame creeples from falling also to lift them up again when they are fallen never so low and likewise to support and uphold them that they shall never finally and utterly be cast down When the hearts of the Saints are ready to faint and sink then the Lord will employ all his power for their support bearing them up as it were with both hands He hath put his left hand under my head as a pillow to rest upon and with his right hand he hath embraced me as a loving Husband Eph. 5. 29. cherisheth his sick Wife and doth her all the help he can The best of Saints would fail and faint in a day of trouble if Christ did not put to both his hands to keep them up In dayes of sorrow Gods People stands in need of a whole Christ to support them and uphold them My head sinks O my Beloved put thy left hand softer than pillowes of roses firmer than pillars of marable under it my heart faileth and dyeth O let thy right hand embrace me But The fourth proposition is this that all Saints have 4 Proposition not a like measure of the presence of the Lord in their troubles and tryals in their sorrows and sufferings some have more and others have less of this presence of God in an evil day 1. All Saints have not a like work to do in an evil day 2. All Saints have not alike temptations to withstand in an evil day 3. All Saints have not alike testimony to give in an evil day 4. All Saints have not alike burdens to bear in an evil day 5. All Saints have Lam. 1. 12. cap. 4. 6. Dan. 9. 12 13. 2 Cor. 11. 21. to the end Heb. 11 25. to the end not alike things to suffer in an evil day There are greater and there are lesser troubles distresses and dangers and there are ordinary troubles distresses and dangers and there are extraordinary troubles distresses and dangers Now where the trouble the distress the danger is ordinary there an ordinary presence of God may suffice but Dan. 3. Dan. 6. where the trouble the distress the danger is extraordinary there the People of God shall have an extraordinary presence of God with them as you may see in the three Children Daniel the Apostles the primitive Christians and the Book of Martyrs Some troubles distresses and dangers are but of a short continuance as Athanasius said of his banishment Nubecula est citò transibit It is but a little cloud and will quickly be gone Others are of a longer continuance and accordingly God suits his presence All Saints have not a like outward succours supplies reliefes comforts c. in their troubles distresses and dangers some have a shelter a friend at hand others have not some have many friends and others may cry out with him O my friends I have never a friend some are surrounded with outward comforts and others have not one not one penny not one friend not one days work c. in a storm some have good Harbours at hand others are near the rocks and in danger of being swallowed up in the sands so here and accordingly God lets out more or less of his presence among his People some need more of his presence than others do and accordingly God dispenceth it among his Saints But The fift proposition is this that none of the Saints 5 Proposition have at all times in all
Will the Lord be signally present with 4. Inference his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then from hence you may see the Lords singular love and admirable kindness to his People in gracing them with his presence in their greatest Isa 43. 2. 4. troubles that is a Friend indeed that will stick close to a man in the day of his troubles as Jobs friends did Job 2. 11 12 13 1 Sam. 20. 30 31. 32 33. stick close to him in the day of his troubles and as Jonathan did stick close to David in his greatest dangers and as the primitive Christians did sticâ— close one to another though with the hazard of their lives and to the amazement of their Enemies Behold said they how the Christians love one another and stand by one another The People of God in their greatest troubles are a People of his special love when they are in distress he lyes them in his very bosom and his banner over Cant. 2. 4. them is love The love of God to his People is engraven upon the most afflictive dispensation they are under when he smartly rebukes them even then he dearly loves them Hear ye the rod. Oh the rod speaks love Rev. 3. 19. Micha 6. 9. many of the Saints have read much of the Lords love written in letters of their own blood they have read love in Priâ—â—ns and love in flames and love in banishment and love in the cruellest torments their Enemies could invent When a Christians wounds are bleeding Mal. 4. 2. then God comes in with a healing plaster when a Christian is in a storm then the presence of the Lord makes all calm and quiet within The presence of the Lord Matth. 8. 26. with his People in their troubles and distresses speaks out the reality of his love the cordialness of his love the greatness of his love and the transcendency of his love The truth and strength of Relations love one to another doth best appear by their presence one with another when either of them are in the Iron Furnace or in bonds or in great straits or wants or deep distresses The Parents shew most of their love to their sick and weak Children by their daily presence with them and the Husband shews most of his dear and tender love by keeping his Wife company when she is in greatest straits and dangers so here But Fifthly Will the Lord be signally present with his 5. Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then this may serve to justifie the Saints and to encourage the Saints to write after this fair copie that Christ has set them O visit them O stand by them O stick close to them in all their troubles distresses and dangers let the same mind be in you one towards another as is in Christ towards you all Phil. 2. 5. Job 11. 12 13. Are there any Jobs upon the dunghil visit them are there any Pauls in chaines find them out and be not ashamed of their chaines 2 Timoth. 1. 16. The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain Verse 17. But when he was in Rome he sought me out diligently and found me Verse 18. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day and in how many things he ministred unto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well He oft refreshed me Greek Poured cold water upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me As that Angel did upon the wracked limbs of Theodorus the Martyr mentioned by Socrates and Ruffinus in the dayes of Julian the Apostat 't is a Metaphor taken from those who being almost overcome with heat are refreshed by cooling And was not ashamed of my chain Learned Antiquaries observe that the Apostle at this time was not in prison with fetters but in the custody of a Souldier with whom he might go abroad having a chain on his right arm which was tyed to the Souldiers left arm Paul at this time was not in prison much less a close Prisoner for then Onesiphorus needed not to have made any great search to find him but was a Prisoner at large going up and down with his Keeper to dispatch his affairs and therefore he speaks not of chains in the plural number but of a chain in the singular with which he was tyed to the souldier that kept him It no wayes becomes the Saints to be ashamed of the bonds or chains that may be found upon the Ambassadours of Christ in an evil day The primitive Christians were not ashamed of the Martyrs chains but owned them in their chains and stood by them in their chains and frequently visited them in their chains and freely and nobly relieved them and refreshed them in their chains And will you will you be ashamed to visit the Saints in bonds O let not this be told in Gath 2 Sam. 1. 20. nor published in the streets of Askelon that the high-flown Professors and Christians of these times are ashamed to own relieve and stand by the Saints in bonds So Matth. 25. 36. I was sick and ye visited me I was in See Exo. 2. 11 12. compared with Acts 7. 23. to 29. only remember the case was extraordinary and his call was extraordinary prison and ye came unto me It is very remarkable that the last definitive Sentence shall pass upon men according to those acts of favour and kindness that have been shewed to the Saints in their suffering state and that the Sentence of absolution shall contain a manifestation of all their good works In this great day Christ sees no iniquity in his People he objects nothing against them and he only makes honourable mention of the good that has been done by them O Sirs all the visits you give to sick Saints and all the visits you give to imprisoned Saints Christ takes as visits given to himself suffering Saints and you are Brethren and will you not visit your own Brethren suffering Saints and Christ are Brethren Matth. 25. 40. John 20 17. Psalm 119. 63. 2 Cor. 8. 19. and will you not visit Christs Brethren suffering Saints and you are Companions and will you not visit your own Companions suffering Saints and you are travelling Heaven-wards and will you not visit your Fellow-travellers suffering Saints and you are Fellow-citizens and will you not visit your Fellow-citizens Ephes 2. 19. suffering Saints and you are Fellow souldiers Phil. 2. 25. and will you not visit your Fellow-souldiers suffering Saints aâ—d you are Fellow-heirs and will you not visit Rom. 8. 17. your Fellow-heirs O never be ashamed of those that Christ is not ashamed of O never fail to visit those whom Christ daily visits in their suffering state O never turn your backs upon those to whom Christ hath given the right hand of fellowship O be not
that may pass upon him How many Martyrs have ventured into the Heb. 11. 34. very flames to meet with Christ and that have many other wayes made a sacrifice of their dearest lives and all to meet with Christ O the cruel mockings the scourgings Rev. 12. 11. Heb. 11. 36 37 38 the bonds the imprisonments the stoning the sawing asunder that many of the Lords worthies have ventured upon and all to meet with the presence of the Lord and why then should any of you be afraid to enter into an afflicted condition where you shall be sure to meet the singular presence of the Lord that will certainly turn your afflicted condition into a comfortable condition to you The great design of the Lord in afflicting of his People is to meet with them and to draw them into a nearer communion with himself it is that they may see more of him than ever and taste more of him than ever and enjoy more of him than ever in order to which he subdues their corruptions by afflictions Isa 1. 25. c. 27. 8 9 Heb. 12â— 10 11. Hos 2. 14. and strengthens their graces and heightens their holiness by all their troubles and trials When ever he leads his Spouse into a wilderness it is that he may speak friendly and comfortably to her or that he may speak to her heart as the Hebrew runs The great design of the Lord in bringing her into a wilderness was that he might make such discoveries of himself of his love and of his soveraign grace as might chear up her heart yea as might even make her heart leap and dance within her Or as some sence it I will take her alone for the purpose even into a solitary wilderness where I may more frâ—ely impart my mind to her that she having her whole desire she may come up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved and so be brought into the bride-house with all Cant. 8. 5. solemnity By all which it is most evident that there is no such evil in a wilderness estate in an afflicted condition as many imagin But Eightly will the Lord be signally present with his 8 Inference People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then what a high encouragement should this be to poor sinners to study Christ to acquaint themselves with Christ to embrace Christ to chuse Christ to close with Christ to submit to Christ Joh. 1. 12. Ps 112. 2 3. Ps 2. 12. 2 Cor. 8. 5. and to make a resignation of themselves to Christ and to secure their interest in Christ that so they may enjoy his signal presence in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers O how many mercies are wrapt up in this mercy of enjoying the singular presence of the Lord in all the troubles and tryals of this life It is a mercy to have the presence of a Friend it is Psalm 23. 4. a greater to have the presence of a near and dear relation with us in a day of distress in a day of darkness But what a mercy is it then to have the presence of the Lord with one in a dark day That 's excellent counsel that the wisest Prince that ever swayed a scepter gives in that Eccles 11. 8. Remember the days of darkness for they shall be many When light shall be turned into darkness pleasure into pain delights into wearisomness calms into storms Summer dayes into Winter nights and the lightsome dayes of life into the dark dayes of old age and death O now the singular presence of the Lord with a man in these dayes of darkness will be a mercy more worth than ten thousand worlds To have a wise a loving Psalm 71. 20 21. a powerful a faithful Friend to own us in the dark to stand by us in the dark to uphold us in the dark to refresh us in the dark to encourage us in the dark c. is a very choice and singular mercy O then what is it to have the presence of the Lord with us in all those dark dayes that are to pass over our heads What David said of the sword of Goliath in another case There is none 1 Sam. 21. 8 9. like that that I may say of the Divine presence with a man in the dark There is none like that The Psalmist Psal 73. 26. The Greek saith The God of my heart c. hit the mark the whit when he said My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever When his flesh that is his outward man and when his heart his courage that is his inward man failed him then God was the strength of his heart or the rock of his heart as the Hebrew runs at the very last gasp God came in with his soveraign Cordial and revived him and recovered him and brought new life and strength into him When a Saint is at worst when he is at lowest when he is even overwhelmed with troubles and sorrows and when the dayes of darkness so multiply upon him that he seems past all hope of recovery then the Divine presence does most gloriously manifest it self and display it self in supporting strengthning comforting and encouraging of him In the Rev. 4. 6. you read that the world is like a sea of glass I saw before the Throne a sea of glass The world is transitory very frail and brittle as glass and it is instable tumultuous and troublesome as the sea Here the world is shadowed out to us by a sea of glass and how can we stand on this sea how can we live on this sea how can we walk on this sea if Christ don't take us by the hand and lead us and support us and secure us O Sirs we can't uphold our selves on this sea of glass nor others can 't uphold us on this sea of glass it is none but dear Jesus it is no presence but his singular presence that can make us to stand or go on this sea of glass And if this world be a sea of glass oh what infinit cause have we to secure our interest in Christ who alone can pilot us safe over this troublesome dangerous and tempestuous sea Oh that I could prevail with poor sinners to take Christ into the ship of their souls that so he may pilot them safe into the heavenly Harbour the heavenly Canaan No Pilot in Heaven or Earth can land you on the shore of a happy eternity from off this sea of glass but Jesus When on this sea of glass the winds blow high storms arise and the bold waves beat into the ship O then the sinner cryes a Kingdom for a Christ a world for a Pilot to save us from eternal drowning Oh that before eternal storms and tempests do beat upon poor sinners they Ps 11. 6. Ps 9. 17. Hos 2. 19 20. 2 Cor. 11. 2. would be prevailed with to close
2 Tim. 4. 22. Ps 16. ult a great mercy It is a peculiar mercy it is a distinguishing mercy it is a big-bellied mercy it is a mercy that hath many mercies in the womb of it it is a mercy greatning mercy it greatens all the mercies we do enjoy it is a mercy sweetning mercy it sweetens health strength riches honours trade relations liberty c. It is a soul mercy a mercy that reaches the soul that cheeres the soul that lifts up the soul that quiets the soul that satisfies the soul that will go to Heaven with the soul And will you not be thankful for such a mercy will you be thankful for temporal mercies and will Eph. 1. 3. you not be thankful for spiritual mercies will you be thankful for left-handed mercies and will you not be thankful for right-handed mercies will you be thankful for the mercies of the foot-stool and will you not be thankful for the mercies of the Throne will you be thankful for the mercies of this lower world and will you not be thankful for the mercies of the upper world Ps 103. 1. 2 3. 4. To enjoy the presence of God when we most need it is a mercy that deserves perpetual praises O it is infinit mercy not to be left alone in a day of trouble 'T is very Eccl. 4. 10 11. uncomfortable to be left alone Wo to him that is alone If a man fall and be left alone who shall help him up If a man be in danger and alone how miserable is his case But this is the support and comfort of a Christian Heb. 13. 5. Ps 37. 24. Ps 31. 3. Ps 73. 24. Exod. 33. 2. 14 15 16. in all his distresses that he is never left alone but his God is with him when he is at the lowest ebb for God to afford us the presence of our Friends in a day of trouble is a very great mercy But what is it then to enjoy the presence of God in a day of trouble what is the presence of a Friend a Favorit in a day of distress to the presence of a Prince yea what is the presence of an Angel to the presence of God in an evil day To enjoy the presence of God in an afflicted condition is a more transcendent mercy than to enjoy the presence of twelve legions of Angels in an afflicted condition The Divine presence is the greatest good in the world 't is life eternal 't is the bosom of God the gate of glory the beginning of Heaven the suburbs of happiness and therefore be much in blessing of God in admiring of God for his presence with you in a dark and trying day There is no gall no wormwood no affliction no judgment to Lam. 3. 19 â—0â— that of Gods departing from a People Jer. 6. 8. Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my soul depart from thee lest I make thee desolate a Land not inhabited When God departs nothing followeth but desolation upon desolation desolation of persons desolation of peace of prosperity of trade and of all that is near and dear unto us Hosea 9. 12. Though they bring up their children yet will I bereave them that there shall not be a man left yea wo also to them when I depart from them All terrible threatnings are summed up in this Wo unto them when I depart from them Surely even wo to them he puts a sureness upon this Wo to them when I depart from them As if the Holy-Ghost should say What do I threaten this or the other evil the great evil of all the rise of all evils is Gods forsaking of them Hell it self is nothing else but a separation from Gods presence with the ill consoquents thereof and were hell as full of tears as the sea is full of water yet all would not be sufficient to bewail the loss of that beatifical vision How miserable was Gen. 4. 1 Sam. 28. 15 16. They that are out of Go is care are under his curse Cain when cast off by God! and Saul when the Lord departed from him it was a most dreadful speech of Saul I am sure distressed for the Philistins make war against me and God is departed from me When God left the Israelites though for a little while the Holy-Ghost saith they were naked Exod. 32. 25. How naked Non veste sed gratia praesidio Dei Not for want of rayment Jun. in loc or weapons of war but for want of Gods presence and protection When God departs from a People that People lyes naked that is they lay open for all storms tempests dangers Now if it be the greatest evil in the world to be shut out from the gracious presence of Christ then it must be the greatest mercy in this world to enjoy the gracious presence of God in our great troubles and desperate dangers And therefore let all sincere Christians be much in thankfulness to the Lord and in blessing and praising the Lord for his signal presence with them in their low and afflicted estate O the light the life the love the holyness the peace the grace the comforts the supports that alwayes attends the gracious presence of the Lord with his People in their deep distresses c. therefore let the high praises of God for ever be in their mouths who enjoy this signal presence of God The 46 Psalm is called by some Luther's Psalm that is a Psalm that Luther was wont to call to his Friends to sing when any danger trouble or distress was near when the clouds began to gather Come saith Luther let us sing the 46 Psalm and then let our enemies do their worst Observe the confidence and triumph of the Church in the face of the greatest dangers Verse 1. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble We may translate it He is found that is God is present at hand as Gen. 19. 15. God is a present help The Hebrew word in a secondary sence signifies Tobe sufficient Num. 11. 22. A sufficient help you need no other Verse 2. Therefore will not we fear though the Earth be removed and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea Verse 3. Though the waters thereof rore and be troubled though the Mountains shake with the swelling thereof Selah Verse 6. Though the Heathen rage and the Kingdoms were moved to remove and root out the Church with great force and fury Now mark by the change of the Earth and removing of the Mountains are often meant the greatest alterations and concussions of States and Polities Hag. 2. 22 23. Jer. 51. 25. Revel 6. 14. Now saith the Psalmist all these dreadful turns changes shakings and concussions of States and Kingdoms shall never trouble us nor daunt us they shall never make us fret faint or fear Why what 's the ground The Lord of Hâ—â—ts is with us The God of Jacob is our refuge Verse 7. and
so Verse 11. The same words are repeated again God is not gone God is not withdrawn God is not departed from us O no. The Lord of Hosts is is with us The Lord of Hosts is with us The God of Jacob is our refuge the God of Jacob is our refuge And therefore we are Divinely fearless Divinely careless though Hell and Earth should combine against us yet we will bear up and be bold to believe that all shall go well with us for God is in the midst of us The Lord of Hosts is with us Even the Lord who commandeth far other Hosts and Armies than the enemy hath any The God of Jacob is our refuge Heb. Our high Tower God is a Tower so high so strong so inaccessible so invincible that all our enemies yea â—ll the powers of darkness can never hurt reach storm or take and therefore we that are sheltered in this high Tower may well cast the gantlet to our proudest strongest and subtlest enemies And let thus much suffice for the inferences The next use is a use of exhortation to exhort all the 2 Use People of God so to order and demean themselves as to keep the Divine presence as to keep the signal the singular presence of God with them in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers Now that this may stick in power upon your souls consider seriously of these following motives First the signal presence of God with his People puts 1 Motive the greatest honour dignity and glory upon a People imaginable There are many titles of honour amongst men but this above all is the truly honourable title that Vide Isa 43. 2 4 Jer. 13. 11. Ezek. ult and ult we have God so near unto us Deut. 4. 7. What Nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is to us Whiles he vouchsafed his presence amongst them how honourable how renowned were they all the world over But when he departed from them they became the scorn and contempt of all Nations It may be said of some men they have large Estates but not the presence of God with them they are highly honoured and dignified in the world but no presence of God with them they have great trades and vast riches but no presence of God with them they are nobly related but no presence of God with them they have singular parts and natural accomplishments but no presence of God with them the want of the Divine presence gives a dash casts a blot upon all their grandures worldly glory and like Coprice turnes all their wine be it never so rich into ink and blackness What a deal of honour and glory did the presence of God cast upon Joseph Gen. 39. 19 20. in prison and upon Daniel in the Den and upon the three Children in the fiery Furnace and upon the three Children in the fiery Furnace and upon David 1 Sam. 24. 17. Mar. 6. 20. Acts 24. 25. when a persecuting Sanl could cry out Thou art more righteous than I and upon John when a bloody Herod feared him and observed him and upon Paul when a tyrannical Felix trembled before him as if Paul had been the Judge and Felix the prisoner at the bar Some write of the Chrystal that what stone so ever it toucheth it puts a lustre and loveliness upon it The presence of God puts the greatest lustre beauty glory and loveliness that can be put upon a person Now because the witness of an Adversary is a double testimony let Baalant who as some write of a Toad had a Pearl in his head though his heart was naught very naught stark naught give Num. 24. 5. in his evidence How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel He speaks both by way of interrogation and admiration their Tents are so comely and their Tabernaeles so lovely that their grand enemy was affected ravished with them But whence is it that Israel is so formidable and terrible in his eye how comes this about that he who came to fight against them thinks them beyond all compare nay doth himself admire their postures and order their great glory brave gallantry why all is from the presence of their Lord-General with them The Lord their God is with Num. 23. â—1 them the shout of a King is amongst them It is the highest honour renown and dignity of a People to have God in the midst of them to have God near unto them Thus Moses sets out the honour and dignity of the Jews Deut. 26. 18. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar People Verse 19. To make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in name and in honour When God reckons up the dignities of his People this is the main the top of all Psalm 87. 5. And of Sion it shall be said this and that man was born in her and the Highest himself shall establish her If you would keep your honour and dignity keep the presence of God in the midst of you when God is departed from Israel then you may write Ichabod upon Israel The glory is departed 1 Sam. 4. 21. 22. from Israel But Secondly To move you so to order demean and 2 Motive carry your selves as you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider that nothing can make up the want of this signal presence of God it is not the presence of Friends of Relations of Ministers of Ordinances of outward comforts that can make up the want of this presence it is not candle-light or torch-light or star-light nor moon-light that can make up the light of the Sun When the Sun is set in a cloud all the world cannot make it day and when the presence of God is withdrawn nothing can make up that dismal loss Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled that Psalm 30. 6 7. is thou didst suspend the actual influence and communication of thy grace and favour the Chaldee calleth it Shechinah the Divine presence anâ— I was all-amort It was not his Crown his Kingdom his Riches his Dignities his Royal attendance c. that could make up the loss of the face of God neither is it the presence of an Angel that can make up the want of the presence of God Exod. 33. 2. And I will send an Angel before thee God here promiseth Moses that he would send an Angel before them but with all adds that he would Exod. 33. 3. not go up himself in the midst of them I but such a Guide such a Guardian such a Nurse such a Companion such a Captain General would not satisfie Moses Verse 14. And he said my presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest Verse 15. And he said unto him if thy presence go not with me carry us not up
may tast of the same honey But Fourthly To move you so to order demean and carry 4. Motive your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider the excellent properties or qualities of this favourable this signal presence of God with his People this I can but hint at because I must hasten all I can to a close 1. It is the best presence Ps 63. 3. 't is better than the presence of Friends of Relations of Saints of Angels c. 2. 'T is the greatest presence 't is the presence of the 1 Kings 8. 27. Revel 17. 14. Cap. 19. 16. Numb 24. 4. 16. Ruth 1. 20. 24. great King 't is the presence of the King of Kings Lord of Lords 't is the presence not only of a mighty but of an Almighty God 3. It is the happiest presence 't is a presence that makes a man really happy presently happy totally Psalm 144. 15. 1 Kings 10. 8. Deut. 33. 29. Prov. 3. 18. happy eminently happy and eternally happy he can never be truly happy that wants this presence he can never be truly miserable that enjoyes this presence true happiness is too great a thing to be found in any thing below this favourable this signal presence of God he that enjoyes this presence enjoyes all he that wants this presence enjoyes nothing at all he that wants this presence may write nothing or nought upon his honours riches Amos 6. 13. pleasures dignities offices Relations Friends c. All a man has are but ciphers without a figure if he be not blest with this Divine presence This Divine presence was Jacob's enough yea Jacob's all Li-col Genes 33. 11. I have all Esau had much Li-zab I have much my brother Verse 9. But Jacob had all Habet omnia qui habet habentem omnia He hath all who hath him that is Augnstine Coloss 3. 11. all in all Omne bonum in summo bono All good is in the chiefest good Secure this Divine presence and you secure all 4. It is the most desirable presence consult these Psalm 42. 1 2. Psalm 63. 1 2 8. Psalm 27. 4. Genes 28. 20. Psalm 84. Scriptures in the margin Job 23. 3. O that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his seat Exod. 33. 15. If thy presence go not with me carry us not up hence Verse 16. For wherein shall it be known here that I and my people have found grace in thy sight is it not in that thou goest with us Cant. 3. 1. By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not The presence of bad men is never desirable the presence Jer. 9. 1 2. Job 16. 1 2 3 4. Cap. 19. 3 4 5. of good men is not alwayes desirable for there are cases wherein their presence may be a burden to us as Job and others have experienced Job 16. 2. Miserable Comforters are ye all Cap. 19. 2. How long will you vex my soul and break me in pieces with words But the presence of the Lord is very desirable most desirable and alwayes desirable and the more any man has of this Divine presence the more his heart will be inflamed after more and more of it A sound sincere Christian can never have enough power against sin nor never enough strength against temptation nor never enough weannedness from this World nor never enough ripeness for Heaven nor never enough of the presence of the Lord enough of the Divine presence he may have to quiet him and cheer him and encourage him but whil'st he is out of Heaven he can never have enough of the Divine presence to satisfy him so as not to cry out Lord more of thy presence O a little more of thy presence Prov. 30. 15 16. 5. 'T is the most joyful refreshing and delightful presence Psalm 16. ult Acts 5. 40 41. Cap. 16. 25. This Isa 60. 1 2. Psalm 46. 7. Vincentius and many thousand Martyrs and suffering Christians have experienced in all the Ages of the world but of this before 6. 'T is a peculiar and distinguishing Exod. 33 16. presence this favourable signal presence of God is a choice Jewel that he hangs in no breasts a Bracelet that he puts upon no arms a Crown that he sets upon no heads but such whom he loves with a peculiar love with an everlasting love The general presence of God extends Jer 31. 3. Joh. 13. 1. Psalm 139. 7 8 9 10. and reaches to all Sinners and Saints Angels and Devils to all both in that upper and this lower world But this favourable signal presencè of God is peculiar to those that are the purchase of Christs blood and the travail of his soul 7. 'T is an inflamming presence Oh how does it 1. Inflame the heart to duty Psalm 63. 1 2 3. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Isa 53. 11. Ruth 1◠4. to 18. 2. How does it inflame the heart against sin Job 31. 4 5 6 7. Genes 39. 9 10. Rom. 8. 10. 3. To long for the Majestical and glorious presence of God in Heaven Cant. 8. ult Luke 2. 28 29 30. 2 Cor. 5. 8. Phil. 1. 23. Rev. 22 20. 4. How does it inflame their love to the Lord his wayes his worship his interest his glory Cant. 1. 3 4. Cant. 2. 3 4 5 6. Cap. 8. 1 2 3 5 6 7. 5. It inflames against temptations 10. 11. It was this Divine presence that did steel and strengthen Basil Luther and a world of others against the worst of temptations 6. It Heb. 11. inflames the hearts of the Saints into great freeness readiness and willingness to suffer many things to suffer great things to suffer any thing for Christ his Gospel his interest c. O how did this Divine presence make many Martyrs hasten to the flames c. 8. 'T is a soul quieting a soul silencing and a soul stilling presence Psalm 3. 5. Psalm 4. 8. Cant. 2. 3. Cap. 3. 4 5. When Friends can't quiet us when Relations can't quiet us when Ministers can't quiet us when Duties can't quiet us when Ordinances can't quiet us when outward comforts can't quiet us yet then this Divine presence will quiet us when Babies and Rattles can't quiet the Child yet then the breasts can so here 9. This Divine presence is a sweetning presence 1. It sweetens all duties and services publick and private ordinary and extraordinary 2. It sweetens all personal afflictions and tryals 3. It sweetens all our sufferings for righteousness sake 4. It sweetens all Gospel Ordinances Exod. 20. 24. 5. It sweetens all a mans outward mercies and blessings it sweetens health strength riches trade c 6. It sweetens all interchangeable providences here providence smiles and there it frownes here it lifts up and there it casts down this providence is sweet and that is bitter
this providence kills and that providence makes a live O but this Divine presence sweetens every providence 7. It sweetens all other presences it sweetens the presence of Friends it sweetens the presence of Relations it sweetens the presence of strangers it sweetens all Civil Societies it sweetens all Religious Societies 8. It sweetens the thoughts of death the arrests of death it turns the King of terrours into the King of desires Job 14. 5 14. Cap. 30. 23. Job 17. 13 14. How does Job court the worms as if he were of a family with them and neare of kin to them How does he look upon the grave as his bed and makes no more to die than to go to bed It was this Divine presence that made the Martyrs as willing to die as to dine But Fifthly To move you so to order demean and carry 5 Motive your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider that in great troubles deep distresses and most deadly dangers you will most need the favourable signal presence of God with you We alwayes stand in need of the Divine presence but never so much as when we are under great troubles and deep distresses For 1. In dayes of trouble and distress mens affections are most apt to be greatly disordered and their hearts discomposed as you see in Job and Jonah 2. Now their Job 3. Jonah 4. fears doubts and disputes are apt to rise highest when the wind rises high and the sea roares men are most apt Jonah 2. 2. to 7. to be afraid 3. Now Satan commonly is busiest Satan Job 2. 9. Jam. 1. 12. loves to fish in troubled waters when the hand of God is heaviest upon us then Satan will shoot his most deadly Gen. 34. 25. Deu. 25. 17 18 19. darts at us The sons of Jacob fell upon the Shechemites when they were sore and Amaleck fell upon Gods Israel and smote them when they were weak and feeble and faint and weary and Satan falls foul upon Christ Mat. 4. 1. to 11. when he was in the wilderness and when he had fasted forty dayes and forty nights and was a hungry And as he dealt with the head so he still deales with the members 4. Now unbelief is most turbulent strong and mighty in operation as you may see in the Spies We be Num. 13. 31 32. not able to go up against the people for they are stronger than we The Land through which we have gone to search it is a Land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof and all the Verse 33. people that we saw in it are men of great stature And there we saw the Giants the Sons of Anak which come of the Giants and we were in our own sight as Grashoppers and so we were in their sight So 2 Kings 6. 33. This evil is Vide 2 Kin. 7. 1 2. 19 20. of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer So David Psal 116. 11. I said in my hast all men are lyars the Prophets have all deceived me and Samuel has deluded me they have told me of a Kingdom a Crown but I shall never wear the one nor possess the other So 1 Sam. 27. 1. I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul Thus his fear is got above his faith and his soul wherried about with unbelief to the scandal of the weak and the scorn of the wicked besides his own particular disadvantage 5. Now fainting fits will be most strengthned increased and multiplyed Now fainting fits like Jobs Messengers or like the rolling waves will come thick one upon another Prov. 24. 10. Job 4. 5. Lam. 1. 12 13. 6. Now conscience will be most startled disquieted Gen. 42. 21. cap. 50. 15. 1 Kings 17. 18. Great troubles and deep distresses are many times like strong physick which stirs the humours and makes the Patient sick very sick yea heart sick Conscience commonly never reades the soul such sad and serious lectures as when the Rod lyes heaviest upon the back By all which you see what high cause the People of God have so to order demean and carry themselves as that they may find the gracious presence of God with them in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses for then they will certainly need most of the Divine presence But Sixthly To move you so to order demean and carry 6 Motive your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider this Divine presence will make you Divinely fearless in the midst of your greatest troubles deepest distresses Psal 23. 4. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me Psalm 46. 2. We will not fear though the Earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea Verse 3. Though the waters thereof rore c. Why God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved God shall help her and that right early Verse 5. The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge Selah Vers 7. Num. 14. 9. Neither fear ye the people for they are bread for us their defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us fear them not Deut. 7. 21. Thou shalt not be affrighted at them for the Lord thy God is among you a mighty God and terrible So Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Verse 6. I will not fear what man shall do unto me There is no such way to keep down all base slavish fears of men as to keep up the presence of God in the midst of you you will not fear the power of men nor the policy of men nor the threats of men nor the wrath of men if you do but enjoy this gracious this signal presence of God that is under our present consideration mens fears are never so rampant as when God withdraws his presence from them 1 Sam 28. 15 20. But Seventhly To move you so to order demean and 7 Motive carry your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider that there is in God a very great unwillingness to withdraw his presence from his Isa 1. 2 3 4 16 18. Ezek. 18. 31. Cap. 33. 11. Jer. 3. 13 14. People when they are in great troubles and deep distresses Ezek. 8. 6. Son of man seest thou what they do even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here that I should go far off from my Sanctuary Of all sins the sin of Idolatry drives God farthest off from his Sanctuary when God goes off from a People he goes not off rashly he goes not off suddenly but he goes off gradually he
removes not at once but by degrees now a step and then a step as Lot did when he lingred in Sodom Gen. 19. 16. Lot was not more loth to depart out of Sodom than God is loth to leave his People he goes first to the threshold Ezek. 9. 3. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the Cherub whereupon he was to the threshold of the house Then over the threshold Cap. 10. 4. Then the glory of the Lord went up from the Cherub and stood over the threshold of the house Here is a second step this is the second time of resting before God departs The Lord had his ordinary dwelling-place in the Holy of Holyes Now Gods first remove was from the most Holy place his second remove was from the Holy place 1 Sam. 4. 4. Psalm 8. 10. Isa 37. 16. his third remove was higher towards Heaven Verse 19. And the Cherubims lift up their wings and mounted up from the Earth in my sight then to the door of the East gate or foremost gate of the Lords house To note Gods total remove from his house Then to the midst of the City Ezek. 11. 23. And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the City and then he stood upon the mountain which is on the East-side of the City This is Gods last stop in his departure by which is signified that he was willing to make one tryâ—l more to see if the People would in this present danger call him back by invitation and lively repentance God is greatly troubled when it comes to parting Hâ—s 118. 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Rebâ—im Mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together This is spoken per anthropâ—patheian and not properly because diverse thoughts and repentance are not incident to God Jam. 1. 17. who is without all variableness or shadow of change The Lord seemeth here to be at a stand or at strise with himself about the destruction of this People Howbeit God in the bowels of his mercy yearning and taking pity of his Elect amongst them spareth to lay upon them the extremity of his wrath and is ready to save them for his mercies sake Observe how fatherlike he melts and mournes over them and how mercy interposeth her four several How 's Here are four such pathetical interrogations as the like are not to found in the whole Book of God and not to be answered by any but God himself as indeed he doth to each particular in the following words My heart is turned within me that is the first answer The second is My repentings are kindled together The third is I will not execute the fierceness of my wrath The fourth is I will not destroy Ephraim And why First I am God and not man Secondly the Holy One in the midst of thee God is mighty unwilling to break up house and to leave his People desolate Now is God so unwilling to withdraw his presence and shall not we do all what we can to retain him in the midst of us When dear Friends are unwilling to leave us we are the more earnest in pressing them to stay and abide with us God is marvellously unwilling to go and therefore let us with the Church cry out Leave us not Jerem. 14. 9. But Eightly To move you so to order demean and carry â— Motive your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses consider that troubles will be no troubles distresses will be no distresses dangers will be no dangers if you can but secure the presence of God with you Mountains will be mole-hills stabs at the heart will be but as scratches upon the hand if the Divine presence be with you Gods signal presence will turn storms into calms winter-nights into summer-days prisons into pallaces banishments into enlargments The favourable presence of God will turn sickness into health weakness into strength poverty into plenty and death into life It can never be night so long as the Sun shines no afflictions no tryals can make it night with a Christian so long as he enjoyes the presence of God with his spirit 2 Tiâ— 4. 22. That Courtier needs not complain that this man slights him and that the other neglects him who enjoyes the delightful presence of his Prince When Sampson had the presence of God with him he made nothing of carrying the gates of the City with the posts and bars to the Judge 16. 3. top of an hill So whil'st a Christian enjoyes the singular presence of God with him he will make nothing of this affliction and that of this trouble and that of this loss and that This presence makes heavy afflictions light 2 Cor. 4. 16 17. and long afflictions short and bitter afflictions sweet It Heb. 11. 33. to 19. was this presence that made the Martyrs set light by all the great and grievous things that they suffered for Christs sake and the Gospels sake Gods gracious presence makes every condition to be a little Heaven to the believing soul A man in misery without this gracious presence of God is in a very hell on this side hell there is nothing there can be nothing but Heaven where God is signally present But Ninthly To move you so to order demean and carry 9 Motiâ—e your selves as that you may enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles and deepâ—st distresses consider that the worst of men cannot fasten a curse upon you whil'st you keep the prefence of God with you Num. 23. 21. The Lord his God is with him Num. 23. 23. and the shout of a King is among them There could be no enchantment against them for the Lord their God was with them the shout of a King was among them that is God reigneth as a King among them Hereby also is meant the faith joy boldness courage and confidence of Gods People in their King as when a King comes amongst the Armies of his People he is received with joyful shoutings and acclamations and when he goes forth to battel with them he goes accompanied with the sound of trumpets and shouts of the People signes of their joy and courage So it fared with the Israelites because of that signal presence of God that was amongst them which was evident by his protecting and defending of them 1 Sam. 4. 5. And when the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord came into the Camp all Israel shouted with a great shout so that the earth rang again Here is a valorous shout of a puissant People encouraging each other to the battel and a victorious shout as having obtained the victory in the battel So 2 Chron. 13. 12 And behold God himself is with us for our Captain and his
saith he why Tellus Because said Solon though he was poor yet he was a good man and content with that which he had and having governed the Common-wealth well and brought up his Child honestly and religiously he died honourably Well then said Croesus but who doest thou think the second happy man in the world I think said he those two Brothers that instead of Horses drew their Mother in a Chariot to the Temple Whereupon said Croesus what thinkest thou of me I think says he thou art a very rich man but a man may be happy though he be poor and a man may be unhappy though he be rich for he may lose all his riches before he dye and therefore Ante obitum nemo I think none truly happy but he that lives well and dyes well Whereupon that Wise man Solon was dismissed the Court with neglect But afterward this Croesus making War against Cyrus he was overcome by Cyrus and being taken captive he was laid upon a pile of wood to be burned to death then lying on the pile of wood he cried out and said O Solon Solon Solon Cyrus enquiring what he meant He answered this Solon was a Wise man of Greece that told me that happiness did not consist in riches for they might all be lost and a rich man might die miserable Whose words said he I then neglected but now I find true and therefore now I cry out O Solon Solon Solon Let us now tell the covetous man the worldly man that his happiness lyes not in riches though he looks upon his riches as his strong City he won't mind us he won't regard O but there is a time a coming wherein the worldling will cry out O Solon Matth. 6. 24. Solon Solon Thirdly Our service that is a homage which makes a God when we devote all our pains labour and service to it be it this or that that makes a God Now the covetous man his heart is most upon the world his thoughts are most upon the world his affections are most upon the world and his discourse is most about the world he that hath his mind taken up with the world and chiefly delighted with the world's musick he hath also his tongue tuned to the same Key and taketh his joy and comfort in speaking of nothing else but the world ard worldly things If the world be in the heart it will break out at the lips a worldly minded man speaketh of nothing but worldly things They John 4. 5. are of the world therefore they speak of the world The water riseth not above the fountain out of the warehouse the shop is furnished the love of this world makes men forget God neglect Christ slight Ordinances refuse Matth. 19. 21 22. Heaven despise holiness and oyles the tongue for worldly discourses Ah the time the thoughts the strength the spirits the words that are spent upon the world and the things of the world whilst sinners souls lye a bleeding and Eternity is posting on upon them I have read of a griping Usurer who was alwayes best when he was most in talking of the world being near his end he was much prest to make his will at last he was overcome and then he dictates to the Scrivener after this manner First I bequeath my own soul to the Devil for being so greedy of the muck of this world Item next I give my wifes soul to the Devil for perswading me to this course of life Item I give the Parson of our Parish's soul to the Devil because he did not shew me the danger I lived in nor reprove me for it O the danger of making the world our God when we come to die and to make up our accounts with God Now when men make the world their God and set up their riches pleasures and profits in the place of God no wonder if God withdraws his presence from them and therefore as ever you would retain the gracious presence of God with you take heed of a covetous spirit a worldly spirit But Tenthly and lastly As ever you would enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers take heed of See my Mute Christian under the smarting rod. a Cross froward and inflexible Spirit under the Rod When the Child is froward under the Rod the Father withdraws so here Isa 57. 17. I was wroth I smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart Though I manifested my displeasure Isa 47. 6. by giving them up to their Enemies and by giving them under the tokens of my anger they persisted in their own cross crooked and rebellious courses refusing to repent and turn to the most High and therefore God changes his countenance hides his face and withdraws his presence from them Deut. 32. 20. And he said I will hide my face from them for they are a very froward generation Heb. A generation of perversnesses When the sick man is froward Friends withdraw and leave him alone Psalm 18. ver 26. With the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward God will meet with froward persons in their own way and make them reap the fruits of their own doings God will walk cross and contrary to the froward opposing and crossing them in all they do God has no delight to grace froward persons with his presence when men begin to be froward under a Divine hand God commonly hides his face and turns his back upon them Men sick of impatiency are no fit company for the God of all patience men that Rom. 15. 5. Prov. 11. 20. are peevish and pettish under the Rod will alwayes see a cloud upon the face of God and thus you see that there are ten things that you must carefully take heed of as you would enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers But Secondly As there are many things to be avoided so there are several things to be put in practice as you would enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers let me glance at a few First Be sure that you are brought under the bond of the Covenant This gracious signal presence of God Ezek. 20. 37. Psalm 25. 14. Psalm 50. 5. Jer. 32. 40 41. Gâ—nes 6. 8. 18. with his People under their greatest troubles and deepest distresses is peculiar to those that are in Covenant with God Noah was in Covenant with God and God was with him providing an Ark for him and preserving of him from drowning in the midst of drowning Lot was in Covenant with God and God was with him and secures him in Zoar when he rained Cap. 19. 20 to 26. Hell out of Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah Joseph was in Covenant with God and God was with Joseph Ge 39. 20 21 22. Jer. 1.
men of the greatest measures and degrees of holiness have alwayes enjoyed the greatest measures of the Divine presence witness Enoch Genes 5. 24. Noah Genes 6. 8 9 17 18. So Abraham Jacob Joseph Job David Daniel John Paul c. they were all famous for holiness and accordingly they had a famous presence of God with them as hath been shewed in part and might more fully have been discovered but that the press calls upon me to hasten to a conclusion and therefore I shall now but hint at things consider First That the more holy any person is the more excellent that person is all corruptions are diminutions of excellency the more mixt any thing is the more abased it is the more you mix your wine with water the more you abase your wine and the more you mix your gold with tin the more you abase your gold But the purer your wine is the richer and better your wine is and the purer your gold is the more glorious and excellent it is so the purer and holier any person is the more excellent and glorious that person is Now the more Divinely excellent and glorious any person is the Dan. 9. 23. more he is beloved of God and the more he is the delight of God and the more he shall have of the presence of God Consider Secondly The more holy any person is the more that person pleases the Lord Fruitfulness in holiness fills Heaven with joy the Husbandman is not so much pleased with the fruitfulness of his fields nor the Wife with the fruitfulness of her womb as God is pleased with the fruitfulness of his People in grace and holiness Now certainly the more God is pleased with any person the more he will be present with that person they commonly have most of our presence that most please us Heb. 11. 5. Genes 5. 24. The Hebrew word ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Hithpael and notes a continual walking with God without ceasing Enoch had this testimony before his translation that he pleased God or gave God content as the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports Enoch eyed God at all times in all places and in all companies and this pleased God Where ever Enoch was his eye was still upon God Enoch walked constantly with God his whole life was but one continued day of walking with God and this pleased God Enoch kept himself from the corruptions and pollutions of the times which were very great he was not carried away with the stream of the times he kept a constant counter-motion to the corrupt courses of the times and this pleased God Enoch maintained and kept up a clear choice and standing communion with God and this pleased God Enoch made it his business his work his Heaven to approve his heart to God and his wayes to God and this pleased God Enoch was very serious and studious to avoid every thing that might be a dishonour to God or displeasing to God and this pleased God Enoch had great and high and honourable thoughts of God and this pleased God God was so pleased and taken with Enoch that he translates God took him up in a whirl wind say the Hebrew Doctors as Elias was he changed his place but not his company for he still walked with God as on Earth so in Heaven him from Earth to Heaven from a gracious to a glorious presence It was a singular mercy for God to be with Enoch on Earth but it was a far more glorious mercy for Enoch to be with God in Heaven The gracious presence of God is very desirable but the glorious presence of God is most comfortable Enoch pleases God and God translates Enoch We can never have those Friends near enough to us who take a pleasure and delight to please us So here Enoch was a bright morning Star a rising Sun for vertue and holiness and therefore God could not satisfie himself to speak after the manner of men that he should live at so great a distance from him and therefore translates him from Earth to Heaven Well my Friends the greater measures of holiness you reach too the more you will please God and the more you please God the more you shall be sure to enjoy of the presence of God Consider Thirdly The more holy any person is the more like to God he is and the more like to God he is doubtless 1 Pet. â— 15 16. Leâ—ir 11. 44. Can. 19. 2. and 20. 7. the more he is beloved of God it is likeness both in nature and grace that alwayes draws the strongest love Though every Child is the Father multiplied the father of a second Edition yet the Father loves him best and delights in him most who is most like him and who in feature spirit and action does most resemble him to the life and so does the Father of Spirits also he alwayes loves them best who in holiness resemble him Heb. 12. 9. most There are four remarkable things in the beloved Disciple above all the rest 1. That he lay nearâ—st to John 13. 23. Cap. 18. 16. Cap. 19 26 27. Mark 14. 50. Christ's bosom at the Table 2. That he followed Christ closest to the high Priests Palace 3. That he stood close to Christ when he was on the Cross though others had basely deserted him and turned their backs upon him 4. That Christ commended the care of his Virgin Mother to him Now why did Christs desire love and delight run out with a stronger and a fuller tide towards John than to the rest of the Disciples doubtless it was because John did more resemble Christ than the rest it was because John was a more exact picture and lively representation than the others were Now the more any man in holiness is like to Christ the more any man in holiness resembles Christ the more that man shall enjoy of the presence of Christ the more that man shall lay in the bosom of Christ The Father loves to be most with that Child that is like him most So here As ever you would enjoy the presence of God in your greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers be sure that you keep up holiness in your hearts and lives be sure that you grow in holiness and flourish in holiness and then you shall be sure of the presence of God with you in all your troubles and deep distresses A holy God will never leave the holy Christian and thus much for this use of Exhortation The last use of all is a use of comfort and consolation to all the Pâ—â—ple of God in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses Now here consider First of all That God himself hands out this as a rare comfort of his People in all their troubles distresses and dangers viz. That he will be graciously present with them in the midst of all their sorrows and sufferings Isa 43. 2. Psalm 91.
15. Josh 1. 5. Heb. 13. 5. Exod. 3. 12. Genes 26. 3. Sojourn in this land and I will be with thee and will bless thee Cap. 28. 15. And behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest and will bring thee again into this land for I will not leave thee c. Don't talk of thy loss of Friends for I will be with thee nor don 't talk of thy Countrey for I will give thee this Land which is the Paradise of the world nor don 't talk of thy poverty for thou shalt spread abroad to the West and to the East and to the North and to the South Verse 14. Nor don 't talk of thy solitariness and aloneness for I will not leave thee Isa 91. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Suppose a man was injuriously dealt with by this man or that would it not be a comfort to him that a just and righteous Judge stood by and was an eye witness of all the violences that were offered to him Suppose a man were in exile with David or in prison with Joseph or in a Dungeon with Jeremiah or in the stocks with Paul and Silas or in banishment for the testimony of Jesus with John yet would it not be a singular comfort to him to have the presence of a kind Father a bosom Friend a wise Counseller an able Physician with him O Christian be thou in what place thou wilt and with what Company thou wilt and in what condition thou wilt yet thy loving God thy kind Father thy bosom Friend c. will be still with thee he will never leave thee nor forsake thee and O! what a spring of comfort should this be to thee But Secondly Know for your comfort that there is alwayes some special favours and blessings annexed to this signal presence of God as I will be with thee and bless thee Genes 26. 3. I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest Genes 28. 15. I will be with him in trouble and honour him Psalm 91. 15. I will be with him and strengthen him Isai 41. 10. I will be with thee and the flames shall not kindle upon thee Cap 43. 2. I will be with thee and there shall not a man be able to stand before thee Joshua 1. 5 I will be with thee to deliver thee Jerem. 1. 19. I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked and out of the hand of the terrible Cap. 15. 20 21. Hushai's presence with David was a burden Jobs Wifes presence was but 2 Sam. 15. 33. Job 2. 9. 10. and Matth. 8. 28. 34. a vexation unto him and Christs presence among the Gergesens was a terrour to them and the presence of talkative Friends is many times a trouble to us O but this signal this favourable presence of the Lord with his People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses is a sweet presence a comfortable presence a delightful presence a blessed presence yea such a presence as has many singular blessings annexed to it But Thirdly Know for your comfort that you shall have mercy and kindness and what ever good you need in due season at that very instant at that very nick of time wherein you most need mercy God will time your Psalm 145. 18. Deut. 4. 7. Gen. 22. 10 11 12 13. mercies and your blessings for you he is nigh and will not fail you at a dead lift When Abraham had bound his Son and bent his sword and the knife was up then comes a voice from Heaven Abraham Abraham hold thy hand At that very nick of time when the four hundred and thirty years were expired Israel was delivered Exod. 12. 41. 51. out of their captivity and slavery Deut. 11. 14. I will give you the rain of your land in his due season the first rain and the latter rain that thou mayest gather in thy corn and thy wine and thine oyl God gives rain to all by a Providence but he gives rain to his Israel by vertue of Acts 14. 18. Job 38. 26. a promise God engages himself not only to give rain but to give it in due season he will give the first rain after the sowing of the seed that it might take rooting in the Earth and he will give the latter rain a little before Harvest that the cars might be full O my Friends it is wonderful mercy that God will time our mercies for us When Jehoshaphat was put to a hard pinch at that 2 Chron. 20. 12. 22 23 24 25 26. very nick of time God ownes him stands by him and gives him a great victory When David was at a great 1 Sam. 23. 26 27 28. Let him saith Augustinâ— chuse his own opportunity that so freely grants the mercy plunge Saul being at his very heels at that very nick of time tydings were brought to Saul that the Philistines had invaded the land and so David escapes When all humane help failed God came in and help't at a dead lift So Julian was cut of by the Persian War at that very nick of time when he had vowed at his return to make a Sacrifice of the Christians lives And so Charles the Fifth was diverted from persecuting of the Protestants by the Turks breaking into Hungary at that very nick of time when his heart was set upon a warm persecution And so Justice Gilford a violent Papist Acts and Mon. 1880. in Queen Marie's dayes going up the stairs to Mistriss Roberts her Chamber to compel her will she or will she not to go to Mass at that very nick of time he was suddenly taken with his old disease the Gout and so grievously tormented that he swore he would never trouble her more When Faux was giving fire to the match that should have given fire to the Powder that should have blown up King Lords and Commons at that very nick of time he that never slumbers nor sleeps Psal 121 3 4 5. prevented him and so turned our intended Funeral into a Festival O Christian are thy troubles many in number strange in nature heavy in measure much in burthen and long in continuance yet remember that thy God is near whose mercies are numerous whose wisdom is wonderous and whose power is miraculous The nearness or remoteness of a Friend is very material and considerable in our troubles distresses wants dangers c. I have such a Friend and he would help me but he lives so far off And I have another Friend that has a great love for me that is able to counsel me and to speak a word in season to me and that in my distress would stand close to me but he is so remote I have a special Friend
that did he know how things stand with me would make my burdens his and my wants his and my sorrows his but he is in a far Countrey he is at the Indies and I may be undone before I can hear from him But it is not thus with you O Christians who have a God so nigh unto you who have the signal presence of God in the midst of you yea who have a God alwayes standing by you The Lord stood by me c. O my Friends how can you want comfort that have the God of all consolation present with you How can you 2 Cor. 1. 3. Isa 9. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Isa 9. 6. want counsel that have the wonderful Counseller so near unto you How can you want grace who have the God of all grace standing by you How can you want Peace who have alwayes the presence of the Prince of Peace with you But. Fourthly Know for your comfort that if God be with you there is nothing there can be nothing but weakness against you Isa 27. 4. Who would set the briars God holdeth the Churches Enemies in chains having his hook in their nose and his bridle in their lips Isa 37. 29. he can easily rule and over-rule his proudest Enemies and thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together What are briars and thorns to a devouring fire to the consuming flames no more are all the Enemies of the Church to the presence of God with his People God will be a burning and destroying fire to all the Enemies of Zion wicked men are chaff Psalm 1. 1. And what is that to the wind to the whirl wind they are stubble Job 21. 18. They are as driven stubble to his bow Isai 41. 2. They are as stubble fully dry Nahum 1. 10. They are as stubble before the flame Joel 2. 5. They arelike dust 2 Kings 13. 7. Yea like small dust Isa 29. 5. They are like a morning cloud an early dew a little smoak Hosea 13. 3. The morning cloud is soon dispelled the early dew is soon dried up the rowling smoak out of the chimney is presently scattered O the weakness of man O the power of God! No People on Earth have such a power on their sides as the Saints have consult these Scriptures 2 Kings 6. 16. 2 Chron. 32. 6 7. Isai 8. 9 10. Numb 13. 28 30 31 32 33. Cap. 14. 9. No Christian can look upon the strong and mighty Enemies of Zion in a Scripture glass but must behold them as weak and impotent Persons Who could but smile to see weak Children to attempt to Zach. 2. 5. besiege a wall of brass or a wall of fire as great a folly and weakness it is for wicked men to make attempts upon the Saints who have been to this day and will be to the end a trembling and a burdensome stone to all Cap. 12. 2 3. that gather together against them Sense looks upon the Powers of the world as strong mighty and invincible but Faith looks upon them as poor weak contemptible gasping dying Men. Thus heroical Luther look'd upon them Contemptus est a me Romanus favor furor I care neither for Romes favour nor fury I am neither fond of the one nor afraid of the other It is dangerous to look upon the Powers of the world in the Devils multiplying glass it is best and safest to look upon them in a Scripture glass and then we shall never fear them nor sinfully shift them But Fifthly If God be signally present with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then know for your comfort that none can be against you but they must be against God himself for God is with you in all your troubles as a Acts 9. 4 5 6. Father is with his Child a Husband with his Wife a General with his Army and as a Confederate with his Allies who is with them offensively and defensively hence they are said to rage against God Isa 37. 28 29. And to blaspheme God 2 Kings 19. 3 6. And to fight See Acts 23. 9. Prov. 21. 30. against God Acts 5 38 39. To fight against God is labour in vain who ever sought against God and prospered Some think that this Phrase of fighting against God is drawn from the Fable of the Gyants which were said to make war with the Gods The Church of Christ alwayes flourisheth most and increaseth most when the Exod. 1. 12 1. Tyrants of the Earth oppose it most and persecute it most Diocletian laid down the Empire in great discontent because he could not by any persecution suppress the true Christian Religion the more violent he was against the People of God the more they increased and multiplied and the more they were emboldned and encouraged and therefore in a rage he throws up all But Sixthly If the signal presence of God be with his People in their greatest troubles deepest distresses and most deadly dangers then know for your comfort that there is no presence like this presence no presence to the presence of God let me evidence this by an induction of six particulars briâ—fly thus For First It is the presence of an Almighty God Genes 17. 1. I am the Almighty Genes 49. 25. Numb 24. 4. God walk before me and be thou perfect Some derive the word Shaddai here used from dai that signifieth sufficiency God is an all sufficient good and a self-sufficient good he is an Independent good an absolute good an original good an universal good some derive the word Shaddai from Shad that signifieth a breast a dug because God feedeth his Children with sufficiency of all good things as the loving Mother doth the Child with the milk of her breasts God is the only satisfactory good and proportionable good and sutable good to our souls as the breast the dug is the most sutable good to the Childs stomach And others derive the word Shaddai from Shaddad which signifieth to spoil conquer or overcome and so they say that God did here invert or overcome the order of nature in causing the barren to bear But most Authors do translate it Omnipotent God then is called Shaddai that is omnipotent and all-sufficient for his omnipotency includeth also all-sufficiency Secondly you have the presence of a loving God with you Isa 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee But that this may the better stick and work you must remember First that God loves you with a first See Deâ—t 7. 7 8. love 1 John 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us Our love is but a reflex of his God first cast an eye of love upon us before we cast an eye of love on him and therefore God is no way indebted to us for our love Mary answers not Rabboni till Christ first said unto her John 20. 16.
Mary The pure nature of love is more seen in Gods first love to us than in ours to him by nature we were Ephes 2. 12. 19. Rom. 5. 10. Cap. 1. 30. without God and afar of from God we were strangers to God and enemies to God yea haters of God and therefore if God had not loved us firstly we had been undone everlastingly Secondly As God loves you with a first love so he loves you with a free love Hosea 14. 4. I will heal their back-sliding I will love them freely I know they are back-sliden but I will heal their back-slidings I know they have broken their bones by their fall but I will make those broken bones to rejoyce I know there is nothing at all in them that is excellent or eminent that is honourable or acceptable that is laudable or lovely yet I will love them freely Ex mero motu of mine own free rich absolute soveraign and independent grace Thirdly As he loves you with a free love so he loves you with an everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee Heb. I love thee with the love of perpetuity or with the love of Eternity My love and my affections continue still the same to thee and shall do for ever or as others carry the words I love thee with an Ancient love or with the love of Antiquity I love thee still with the same affection that in former ages I bare towards thee Fourthly As he loves you with an everlasting love so he loves you with an unchangeable love Mal. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed Men change and counsels change and occurrences change and Friends change and Relations change and Kingdoms change and Common-wealths change but God never changes as Balaam confesses who was the Devils Numb 3. 19. Hackney and who had a mind to dance with the Devil all day and then sup with Christ at night God is neither false nor fickle he cannot like men say and unsay Psalm 89. 34. he can nor alter his mind nor eat his words The Eternity of Israel cannot lie nor repent for he is not a man 1 Sam. 15. 29. that he should repent Men are so mutable and changeable that there is no hold to be taken of what they say but God is immutable in his nature in his essence in his counsels in his attributes in his decrees in his promises c. He is as the School-men say Omninò immutabi lis Altogether immutable Fifthly As he loves you with an unchangeable love so he loves you with a special P salm 146. 7 8 love with a peculiar love with a distinguishing love with a superlative love The Lord executes judgment for the oppressed he gives food to the hungry he looseth the Prisoners he opens the eyes of the blind he raises them that are bowed down he loveth the righteous and this is more than all the rest Sixthly and lastly As he loves his People with a special love with a peculiar love so he loves them with the greatest love with a matchless love O Daniel greatly beloved John 3. 16. God so loved the world c. Here is a sic without a sicut there being nothing in nature wherewith to parallel it This sic without a sicut signifies the greatness of Gods love the vehemency of his love and the admirableness of his love Now what an unspeakable comfort must this be to his Saints to have the presence of a loving God to have the presence of such a loving God with them in all their troubles and deep distresses If the presence of a loving Friend a loving Relation in our troubles and distresses be such a mercy O! what then is the presence of a loving God Thirdly It is the Psalm 18. 2. 2 Chron. 16. 9. Prov. 18. 10. Jer 32. 40. 41. Isa 30. 18 19. Isa 27. 3. Jer. 31. 23. presence of an active God who will be a defence to you a Shield to you a Sword to you a Buckler to you a Sun to you a strong Tower to you a Salvation to you none can withstand him none can equal him none can out act him Fourthly It is the presence of a wakeful God of a watchful God of a God that never no never slumbers or sleeps God will be so far from sleeping that he will not so much as slumber Psalm 121. 3 4 5. The Phrase is taken from watchmen who stand on the walls in time of war to discover the approaches of Enemies and accordingly give warning Now watchmen have been treacherous and sleepy The Capitol of Rome had been taken by the Gaules if the Geese had not been more wakeful then the watchmen of the walls Iphicrates the Athenian Captain visiting the Guards on the walls of Corinth found one of the watch asleep and presently thrust him thorough with his sword saying Dead I found him and dead I left him though watchmen slumber and sleep yet that God that is present with his People doth neither his seven eyes are alwayes open Fifthly It is the presence of a wise God of an omniscient Ezech. 3. 9. Psalm 33. 10 11. Isa 46. 10. Cap. 40. 28. Rom. 11. 33. 2 Pet. 2. 9. Jonh 1. 5. 1 Kings 14. 6 Matth. 26. 24 25 God God fills all things he encompasseth all things and he sustaineth all things and therefore he must needs know all things God can find Jonah in the bottom of the ship and Jeroboam's Wife in her disguises and Judas inhis Treason and Demas in his Apostacy and the Scribes and Pharisees in their hypocrisie The 2 Timoth. 4. 10. Matth. 23. Rev. 4. 6. Heb. 4. 13. whole world is to him as a Sea of glass Corpus diaphanum A clear transparent body there is nothing hid from his eyes so that he that can but find out a place where God sees not there let that man sin and spare not All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked as when the skin is pulled of and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opened as the entrails of a Sacrifice cut down the back The Apostle say some useth a Metaphor taken from a sheep whose skin is taken off and he hanged up by the neck with his back towards the wall and all his entrailes laid bare and exposed to open view He alludes say others to the Anatomizing of a Creature wherein men are very cautious to find out every little vein or muscle though they be never so close They are naked therefore God sees their outside and opened dissected quartered and cleft asunder through the back bone so that he sees their inside also Opened is more than naked naked is that which is not cloathed or covered opened is that whose inwards are discovered and made conspicuous Some make it a Metaphor from
those that lie with their faces upwards that all Passengers may see who they are Is it of such a comfort to have the presence of a wise and knowing friend with us in our greatest troubles and deepest distresses what a transcâ—ndent comfort must it be to enjoy the presence of an all-seeing and an all-knowing God in all our troubles and distresses The eye of Heaven sees all and knows all and writes down all thy troubles and trials thy sorrows and sufferings Matth. 6. 32. thy losses and crosses and accordingly will an all-knowing God act for his own glory and his Peoples good Sixthly and lastly It is the presence of a God of Mercy a God of Bowels a God of compassions Jer. 31. 18 19 Exod. 33. 7. 8. 20. Hosea 11. 8 9. Lament 3. 22. His compassions fail not Mercy is as essential to God as light is to the Sun or as heat is to the fire He delights in mercy as the senses and faculties of the soul do in their Micha 7. 18 19. several actions Patience and clemency and mercy and compassion and peace are the fruits of his bowels the ofspring which the Divine Nature doth produce Gods compassions are Fatherly compassions Psalm 103. 13. They are Motherly compassions Isa 49. 15. They are Brotherly compassions Heb. 2. 12. They are Friendly compassions Cant. 5. 1 2. O how sweet must the presence of a God of mercy a God of compassion be to the Saints in a day of trouble the presence of a compassionate Friend in a day of distress is very desirable and comfortable what then is the presence of a compassionate God Thus you see that there is no presence to the Divine presence no presence to the signal presence of God with his People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses But Seventhly and lastly If God be signally present with his People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses then let them all know for their comfort that this presence will make up the want or loss of all outward 1 Sam. 1. 8. comforts this presence will make up the loss of a Husband a Child a Friend an Estate c. Look as all light meets in the Sun and as all water meets in the Sea so all our outward comforts meet in the God of all 2 Cor. 1. 3. comfort When Alexander asked King Porus being then his Prisoner how he would be used He answered in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. like a King Alexander again replying Do you desire nothing else No saith Porus all things are in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this one word like a King so all things all comforts are to be found in this signal presence of God with his People in their greatest troubles and deepest distresses certainly the gracious presence of the Lord is infinitely better than the presence of all outward comforts as you know one Sun is more glorious and comfortable than ten thousand Stars But how may a person that has lost this gracious Quer. presence of God recover it again First Observe how you lost this presence of God and Respon labour to recover it by a contrary course did you lose it by sinful omissions then be more active in a way of duty Didst thou lose the presence of God by neglecting thy watch or by not walking with God or by an eager pursuit of the world or by closing with this or that temptation or by letting fall thy communion with God take a contrary course now keep up thy watch walk close with God keep up a daily converse with lively Christians Psal 119. 63. Col. 3. 1. â— let thy heart and affections be set upon things above keep thy ground in the face of all temptations maintain a standing communion with God After Christ had stood knocking and calling to his Spouse Open to me my Sister my Love my Dove my Vndefiled for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night Cant. 5. 2 3 6. but found no entrance he retired and withdrew himself because she would not arise and put on her coat but when she bestirs her self she finds him whom her soul loved Cant 3. 1 2 3 4. Then Christ comes into his garden again and returns to his Spouse again and forgets all former unkindness Cap. 6. 1 2. But Secondly Enquire where when and why God has withdrawn himself as we do when dear Friends absent themselves from us O the hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in time of trouble why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the Land and as a way-faring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night Verse 9. Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied as a mighty man that cannot save Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy Name leave us not Thirdly Stand not with Christ for any thing not for a right eye or a right hand nor for an Isaac or a Benjamin don't say this work is too high and that too hard and t'other too hot and the other too dangerous in order to the recovery of Gods countenance and presence thou must not think any thing in the world too much to do for Christ or to suffer for Christ thou wilt be a happy man if thou canst recover Christs lost presence though it be upon the hardest termes imaginable But Fourthly Let your hearts lye humble and low under Psal 51. 8 9 10 11 12. 1 Pet. 5. 6. the loss of Gods gracious presence For 1. 'T is the greatest loss 2. 'T is a loss-imbittering loss it is a loss that will greatly imbitter all your worldly losses I have lost my health I have lost a hopeful Child I have lost a gracious yoke-fellow which was the delight of mine eyes and the joy of my heart I have lost a fair estate I have lost an intimate Friend I have lost a brave trade O but that which imbitters all my losses and puts a sting into them is this that I have lost the gracious presence of God that once I enjoyed 3. 'T is a loss that all outward comforts can never make up when the Sun is down nothing can make it day with us 4. 'T is an invisible loss and no losses to invisible losses as there are no mercies to invisible mercies so there are no losses to invisible losses 5. 'T is a loss that will cost a man dear before it will be made up again O the sighs the groans the strong crycs the earnest prayers the bottles of tears that the recovery of the Divine presence will cost a Christian upon all which accounts how well does it become a Christian to lye humble at the foot of God! Fifthly Lift up a mighty cry to Heaven Thus the Saints of old have done consult these Scriptures Psal 51. 6. to 13. Lam. 3. 56 57. Psal 4. 6 7. Psal 27. 9. Psal 38. 21 22. Psal 138. 3. Psal 119. 8. O forsake