as Ursin sayes in the Preface to his Catechisme the cause of their present suffering was their former Barrennesse and Unprofitablenesse under the Gospel and a sad example of this is Jerusalem over whom Christ laments O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou c. if thou hadst known in this thy day c. but now they are hid from thine eyes and when once a people grow up to this heighth to reject the Gospel then expect some fearful Judgement Read the last Chapter of Chronicles the Second Book and at the 16 verse and then you will see when the wrath of God is like to break out upon a People without a remedy Dir. 6 Sixthly If you would have the continual abode of God and Christ with you Let God have all your Thoughts let Him be your meditation this is the way to have the best Company when you be alone David would meditate of him day and night and professed the meditation of him should be sweet to him Here consider two particulars First Consider that no Place State or Condition can hinder the Soul of this way of secret Communion with God and Christ This priviledge could not be denyed to a benighted Jacob to an Imprisoned Jeremiah to an Exilâ—d John in Patmos by this saies Jerom Solitudo fit Paradisas a man may turn a Wilderness into a Paradise and therefore we read in Cant. 11.12 how the Spouse invites Christ to go with her as Isaac did into the Fields to meditate Come let 's go into the Fields and lodge in the Villages Secondly Consider In these secret silent visits of the Soul God and Christ do take abundance of delight Our Night thoughts our Field thoughts our Closet thoughts are very welcom to Them yea when we can do no more but think of God our very thoughts shall be an accepted service Cant. 2.13 He loveth the Fig-tree that putteth forth her green Figs. The ripe fruit is in the â—…d so holy endeavours in pure breathings and desires God accepts when our Infirmity or the Iniquity of the Times may be such that we can do no more Direct 7 Seventhly If we will have God and Christ to make their constant abode with us then let us walk humbly with God He that beholds the proud afar off will be nigh to them that humble their souls under his mighty hand Isa 57.15 Thus saies the high and lofty one that inhabits Eternity whose Name is Holy I dwell in the High and Holy place with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit God hath two Heavens in which he dwells First His Glory dwells in the high and holy place in Heaven above Secondly His Grace dwells in the humble and lowly spirit Here will I dwell saies God Dir. 8 Eighthly If you would have the constant abode of God and Christ with you be sure to look to your hearts that you walk in your uprightness be true to the Word of God be true to your profession There is not in the world a more lively representation and Image of God than the heart of the upright therefore God loves so much when he hath drawn his likeness upon them to walk with them therefore David resolves Psal 101.2 I will walk in the midst of mine house with a perfect heart O when wilt thou come unto me This was the comfort of the Apostle that in simplicity and godly sincerity he had his conversation in the world God will be with such and such shall be with God Psal 37.37 Mark the perfect man behold the upright the end of that man is peace And thus God appointed Abraham to walk that he might be with him a God in Covenant Gen 17. Walk before me be thou perfect and gives him this encouragement I am God All-sufficient Gods All sufficiency being sufficient to keep the Soul upright being rightly improved There be two things which usually Bias the Soul away from God and makes it warp from its holy principles 1. The Frowns 2. The Flatteries of the world Against both which there is a sufficient remedy in the All-sufficient God First That which often perverts the Soul from the truth is the fear of troubles and wants If I keep my integrity saies the Soul I shall be Undone I shall Lose my estate Embroyl my self in many Troubles perhaps a Prison Exile or Death comes next But what force is there in this Tentation If we hear on the other hand God saying if thou wilt be upright fear no troubles no wants I am a God All-sufficient as in Job 22.25 to the end of the Chapter The Almighty shall be thy defence then fear no force thou shalt have plenty of Silver thou shalt gather Gold as dust and the Gold of Ophir as the stones of the Brooks Then fear no wants Secondly There is another thing in the world that hath a very great influence upon the spirit of a man to pervert him and turn him from his integrity and that is The hopes of preferment and greatness of the world But this is but a poor bait if we look upon the All-sufficiency of God Doth the World promise thee Riches God will out-bid the world and gives Eternal Riches Will the World give Pleasures God will give better with him is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Will the World give Gold God will give Diamonds Will the World give all its Glory God will give thee the Glory of a better World rather than that shall be a snare unto thee Dir. 9 Ninthly Pray much pray continually God will be in the hearts and houses of his Praying people when he hath a Curse in store for Prayerless Families in Jerem. 10. the last verse First That God will abide with you and the Kingdom in his Gospel and pure Ordinances that you may dwell in Beth-el and not in Berl-aven a house of vanity and grief Pray that God will not remove his Candlestick from you nor utterly extinguish the light of the Kingdom Secondly Pray and I shall pray with you that God will give you a faithful Pastour after his own heart not according to your hearts that he may teach you by his Doctrine and his Life too A faithful Teacher to go in and out before you to shew you the Word of the Lord One that may be among you as it was said of Athanasius that he was Magnes Adamas 1. Magnes As a Load-stone to draw your Souls with a gentle hand and melting heart from your sins Heaven-ward 2. Adamas As an Adamant of an invincible courage and zeal against all sin and prophaness one that will not spare Sin That he may save your Souls Pray that God would give you a Star a Star out of his right hand not a Churlish Orion that brings a Cold Barren and Cloudy Winter but a Benevolent and Friendly Pleiades that there may be many Sons brought into God and your Souls may find a continual Spring and that you may be as Trees of Gods own planting and may flourish in the Courts of the house of our God and may bring forth more fruit in old age Dir. 10 Tenthly and Lastly If you would have the constant abode of God and Christ with you Conform Conform universally and fully to the Gospel of Christ Consent and Assent Unfeignedly to all the Truths and Doctrines thereof that you may walk worthy of God and all that Grace which hath been revealed to you for Christ hath said If a man keep his Word the Father will love him and both Father and Son will come to him and make their abode with him Wherefore I shall conclude this Exhortation with that of the Apostle in Philippians 1.2.7 Only Let your conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent from you I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel And so shut up all with that in Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance among all them which are Sanctified FINIS
these be continued in their power and purity there the Tabernacle of God is among men and when these are taken away I-chabod the Glory is departed We may say God hath forsaken us As the Ark was a Tipe and Token of God special presence with the Jews so the Gospel and Gospel Ordinances are a signal Token of Gods abode with us for in these we may see him in these we may enjoy him by these we may be made like to him as in the 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face behold as in a Glasse the Glory of God and are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Thirdly They make their abode with them in the Spirit which proceeds from the Father and the Son So they may both be said truly to abide with us while we have the Spirit the Comforter which proceeds from the Father and the Son as a pledge of their Love Joh. 15.20 When the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father I will send him sayes Christ even the Spirit of truth which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which proceeds from the Father there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son to the People that keep his word and thus Believers are said to hold fellowship with the Father and the Son in the 1 Epist of John 13. It is by the Spirit we are drawn being drawn we come being come we are enabled to walk with God and Christ It is this Spirit that doth all for us As in the Ecche The Ayre being moved by the voice returns the same sound by its own motion So in all our Communion with God and Christ the Soul being moved by the Spirit returns answer by vertue of the Spirits motion in us Come sayes the Spirit I come sayes the Soul being taught by the same Spirit All the works wrought on the Souls of men in order to Salvation are wrought of God and Christ in us but by the Spirit As in these three special particulars First By the Spirit they instruct and teach The Spirit is an enlightning Spirit a Spirit of Judgement and of burning The Spirit reveals the Counsels of God the great Misteries of the Kingdom Leads into all truth makes men wise to Salvation Secondly By this Spirit they quicken comfort the Souls of men Rom. 5.5 It is by the Spirit that the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts Our cold and frozen Spirits are warmed and made fit for action and by this Spirit we are awaken'd Hence the Church prayes for the breathings of this Spirit Cant. 4.16 Awake O North-wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Thirdly By this Spirit they do strengthen and establish the hearts of men in the wayes of Holinesse thus they are made strong in the Lord and in the power of his might strong to resist tentations strong to suppesse corruptions strong to perform duties by this Spirit they are carryed through all difficulties by this Spirit their Infirmities are healed Rom. 8.26 they are made to persevere and kept stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord and Sealed up to the day of Redemption Thus God and Christ do make their abode with them that keep the words of Christ till they come to make an everlasting abode with them in Heaven And according to the workings of this Spirit more or lesse in the hearts of men God is said to be present or absent from his people Reasons Secondly The Reasons why God and Christ will make their abode with them that keep his words Reas 1 First Because of their special Love to and Care of them that keep his words Indeed all the Care of God in concerning his people that he hath in the World therefore in the Second Commandement he is said to shew mercy to thousands of them that fear him and keep his Commandements that do not cast his word behind their backs and forsaking his Appointments follow their own Inventions So that if we faithfully keep his word he will abide with us in our work And this is the Great Reason in the Text My Father will Love him Not but that he Loves his Elect from Eternity but he will manifest his Love to them and therefore he will make his abode with them as the People of his Love for in Deut. 32.9 The Lords Portion is his People and Jacob is the Lot of his Inheritance and in Mal. 3.17 they are called his Jewels and men will abide with their Treasure Reas 2 Secondly Because of the near Relation that is between God and Christ and them that keep his word That is a very full place of Scripture for this purpose Mat. 12.50 Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in Heaven the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother What nearer Relation can there be than this So near are they to Jesus Christ that keep his word observe his will and be true and faithful to his Appointments and sure such near Relations will desire Cohabitation on both sides First God and Christ are said to stand Related in a Paternal Relation Secondly They are said to stand Related in a Conjugal Relation First God and Christ stand in a Paternal Relation to his People First God is their Father and they are his Sons and Daughters And this the Church doth acknowledge in Isai 63.16 Doubtless thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not thou O Lord art our Father c. And with this the Lord comforted mourning Zion Isai 49.14,15 But Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me But God sayes Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have Compassion on the Son of her womb Yea they may forget yet I will not forget thee Behold I have graven thee on the palms of my Hands c. My abode is with thee Secondly Jesus Christ is their Father Isai 9.6 The everlasting Father Therefore he promiseth his Disciples in this 14. Joh. 18. I will not leave you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orphans or Fatherlesse Children He is the most affectionate tender hearted Father Tam Pater nemo tam pius nemo None so good none such a Father as he 〈◊〉 Tertul. Secondly God and Christ stand related to them that keep his word in a Conjugal relation and God hath said a special command of co-habitation upon persons in this relation The man must dwell with his own Wife First God is related as a Husband And will not God dwell with his People whom he hath espoused to himself I have betrothed thee unto me for ever Hosea 2.19 Yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgement and in loving kindness and in mercies I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness And
work after Christ Secondly I will rise now and go about the City c. i. I will betake my self to all publick Ordinances and shew more zeal and life in my duties and in these will I make enquiry Thirdly I asked the watch-men i. the Ministers of the Gospel which are or should be as faithful watch-men that watch for our Souls and be able to speak a word in season c. So nothing will satisfie the Soul that truly loves Christ without him and no means shall be neglected till she enjoy Him Secondly Why must he be thus beloved Reason 1 First Because he is lovely altogether lovely First Lovely in his life observing all the will of God there was a wonderful beauty upon him if we behold and can understand that hidden glory of an untainted Holinesse and exact conformity to the will of God Secondly Lovely in his death never more lovely and amiable to the believing Sinner then when he was most despicable in the eyes of Rebellious Sinners O then he appears most beautiful and desireable when he hangs on the Crosse there making our Peace procuring our Pardon obtaining Life and Glory for us by that shameful death Thirdly Lovely in all his Graces each Grace a matchlesse Jewel Rocks of Diamonds Mountains of Pearl not worthy to be mentioned with the least of his Excellencies If he put but a little of this Grace upon any Soul though he be never so vile cloath'd with corruption as in Ezek. 16. from the 9. to the 16 vers yet may be made beautiful by his Comelinesse Fourthly Lovely in all his Ordinances in which the more immediate sight the Soul hath of him the more he is taken with his Beauty No wonder he is call'd in Hag. 2.7 the desire of all Nations Reason 2 Secondly Because of his deserving love we loved him because he first loved us Consider in his love these four particulars First He laid down his life for us such a Love will deserve love and life too Joh. 15.13 Greater Love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friend Secondly He lives now in Heaven for us 7 Heb. 25. He ever liveth to make intercession for them He is there minding our necessities agitating our affairs by his sitting there we have Liberty of comming thither by his sitting there in glory we have our standing here in Grace Thirdly He accounts that as done to himself that is done to them that are his Zach. 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of his eye and Mat. 10.40,41,42 c. He that receiveth you receiveth me and so he said to Saul Acts 9.4 why persecutest thou me when he was with Commission from the High Priest dragging the poor Professors of Jesus Christ to the Prison Fourthly He longs to have us with him Joh. 17.24 Father I will that where I am there they may be also to behold my Glory He is not q. d. satisfied without their company and is alwayes imparting his most secret Counsels to them Joh. 15.16 Henceforth I call you not Servants for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you Friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Reason 3 Thirdly Because otherwise we shall not regard his words which is intimated in the Text If we love him we shall keep his Words but if we love him not we will not keep his Words It is want of love to Christ that is the cause of the abounding of every sin for if we did love him we should keep his Commands which is the second particular Secondly What is it to keep the words of Christ First There is a Natural and Mental keeping of the words of Christ and so we must keep them that is Remember his Words his promises Counsels and Appointments The Memory is mans Storehouse or Cabinet that should be kept Sacred for the Truths of Christ So the Disciples kept the word of Christ when they remembred his sayings and David Psal 119.93 J will never forget thy Precepts for by them thou hast quickned me i. I will keep thy Precepts for what we forget we lose and what we remember we keep And thus as Friends take pleasure to look sometimes on the Love-tokens of their absent Friends So may we have singular comfort and refreshment to see the Heart of Christ in the Counsels Promises and Appointments left with us Secondly There is an Evangelical and Practical keeping of the words of Christ When we do believe promises and obey commands Promises not believed and Precepts not obeyed are as water spilt on the earth besides the vessel that should receive it Heb. 4.2 but when they are believed they be as liquor put into the vessel for its proper use Hence saies Christ Luke 11.28 Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Then we keep the words of Christ when we believe his promises observe his precepts in all our conversation and walk by his appointments and institutions in all our duties Thirdly Why 't is their property and duty that love Jesus Christ to keep his words Reason 1 First Because true love is comprehensive He that love Christ truly loves all that is his He that loves him that begat loves him also that is begotten The nearer any thing is to Christ the better it is beloved and then we love the word when we keep it as a special pledge of his love To have his word and a heart to keep it is a double blessing and indeed such a gift as the word of Christ is is worthy to be loved for it self and kept for the givers sake Reason 2 Secondly Because true love is Operative 't is the principle of Gospel obedience 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us Where there is the disposition of a Son there will be obedience to the Fathers commands so where there is a spiritual love to Christ it will set the soul on work and quicken it to keep the words of Christ as is said of Faith Shew me thy Faith by thy works So shew thy love to Christ by thy works as Faith without works is dead so is love without obedience Reason 3 Thirdly Because keeping the words of Christ gives the clearest and surest testimony of the truth of our love to Jesus Christ. Probatio delectationis est exhibitio operis Greg. Hom. Obedience is the most lively testification of love as Christ said to Peter Lovest thou me c. shew it in this in doing thy duty Feed my sheep So Christ tells us in the Text Where the fire of love is in the breast there the flame of duty and service is in the hands Joh 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you In the 1 Joh. 5.3 In this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments Use 1 Use 1. For Exhortation First To a mental keeping of the words of Christ according
to that word Heb. 2.1 We ought therefore to give the more diligent heed to the things which we have received lest at any time we let them slip And that we may not forget but keep in our memories the words of Christ First consider That all the promises and counsells which Jesus Christ hath made known to us are not only for present but for future use Isa 42.23 Hearken and hear for the time to come We should hear as if we were to hear no more The Cordial which hath some time revived us must not be laid aside lest for want of it another time we faint quite away The reason why they were ready to faint under afflictions Heb. 13.5 was because they had forgotten the exhortation which speaketh to them as to Sons For this cause Jesus Christ often bids his Disciples remember the word he had spoken to them and knowing their frailty promises his spirit Joh. 14.26 and that sayes he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall bring to your remembrance Secondly consider Not to remember the words of Christ is a sad sign of our dis-esteem of Jesus Christ We usually remember Precepts Counsels and Sayings according to the authority which the person hath with us from whence they come It is a very great dishonour to Jesus Christ when we shall cast his words behind our backs Did we honour Jesus Christ as our King Lord and Lawgiver we should be more careful to remember what he hath spoken to us We often blame our heads as if the fault lay only there that we do not remember the words of Christ when indeed the fault lies most in the hearts that we have not more love and esteem of Christ there Thirdly The time will come when we shall dearly repent every truth forgotten that we did not endeavour to seal instruction upon our hearts First When God shall with-hold instruction from us because we have refused it the time may come when as Amos 8.12 Men shall run to and fro and seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it and then we shall see the worth of the word that now we prize not Secondly When God shall call us to an account for all the Sermons and Instructions we have received as he will certainly do though we forget yet he will remember and he will ask how we have kept and improved the Word he hath spoken to us To help us in keeping or remembring the words of Christ Directions First Let your hearts be affected with the worth and excellency of the word that it is more precious than Gold or Silver and then we shall keep it as choice treasure That which a man prizeth he will keep in safe custody and have often in his eyes as David sayes of the word Psal 119.97 O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day long It a man account the word as his treasure he will not forget it as Jerem. 2.32 Can a Maid forget her Ornaments or a Bride her Attires This they forget not Yet because we account not the word as excellent and necessary as these therefore it follows Yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number Secondly Apply every word of Christ to your own souls though men will not keep what is anothers yet usually they keep what is their own while men carve away the word to others as if it concern'd them not 't is no marvel if they keep it not but if we accounted every word as spoken to us and our portion we should hear and keep it Men remember the news which concerns themselves We should hear Christ speaking as Job 5.27 Hear thou this know it for thy good Thirdly Meditate often upon what you have received as Mary pondered the sayings which she heard in her heart The way to keep any thing safe is to have a constant eye upon it Meditation is the Souls serious retiring into it self to take a view of all that of God that is laid up within it self Fourthly Hasten to do all that you have heard and learned Psal 119.60 It is said by David I made hast and prolonged not the time to keep his Commandments A man will not easily forget his Trade so if we daily obey commands and believe promises we cannot easily forget the commands and promises given to us which last direction leads to the second exhortation Exh. 2 Secondly It may exhort us to keep the words of Christ with an Evangelical and Practical keeping Keep the word as a man keeps his Rule or the Souldier keeps his Weapon let not the word depart from thee and do not thou depart from it by forsaking the appointments and commands of Christ First consider That if we do not keep the words of Christ by obeying and a suitable walking we do but in vain pretend love to Jesus Christ as they that had no more of Christ but to call him Lord Mat. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven c. So not every one that sayes he loves me but he that doth my word he is my friend Secondly consider what a sin it is to pretend love to Christ and not so truly to love him as to keep his words 't is Hypocrisie they be Christ's false friends an open enemy is less dangerous than they Ezek. 33.31 They hear thy words but they will not do them their heart goes after their covetousness They be false to themselves and delude their own souls with a bare profession and hearing Jam. 1.22 Be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own souls Secondly consider what judgement they incurre and who can tell how great it is 't is call'd a beating with more stripes when the least stripe from that hand can break the loynes Luke 12.47 He that knoweth his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Secondly consider This is the clearest evidence of our interest in Christ of his love to us that we keep his Commandments By this we know that we have him as our Christ when we do not only love him as a Jesus a Saviour but obey him as a Lord and follow his Law When God shall write his Law in our hearts Is not this an evidence that Christ is ours Thirdly Great and many are the encouragements which he hath promised to them that keep his words There be many blessings in the word but they only have the blessings for theirs who keep his word Jam. 1.15 Whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed he shall ask what he will and have it Joh. 15.7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you ask what you will and it shall be done unto you Direct That we may do the words of Christ First Let it be the aim and intentions of our souls when we
come to hear to turn hearing into doing Say as Paul did Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to do and Cornelius Acts 10.33 Now therefore are we all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God Secondly Beg of God to give you such a heart that you may not only say as the people in a good humour once to Moses All that thou shalt speak unto us that will we observe and do but find your hearts such as in Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always c. It is he by whom the word is made as James hath it ◠Jam. ◠1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 engraffed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A fruit-bearing word Begin all your hearing with prayers and conclude them with prayers because 't is of the greatest concernment Use 2 Lastly A use of comfort First If we keep this word the word will keep us It will keep us in the worst of times yea at all times Pro. 6.22 When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee If you keep his Commands his Commands will keep you If you keep his Promises his Promises will bring you to Glory Secondly If we keep his word we shall not want present comforts The present gratuities which we have from Christ should be enough to encourage us if there were no future reward Psal 19. In keeping of them there is great reward 1 Tim. 4. ◠verse Thirdly Jesus Christ hath promised a blessedness to such persons they be a blessed people Rev. 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophecy and keep those things which are written therein and so in Luke 11.28 Blessed are they c. and with the best of blessings doth be crown them in the Text My Father will love him and we will come to him and will make our abode with him which is the second observation Obs 2 God and Christ will make their abode with them that keep his word In which Observation we shall take notice of these three particulars First How God and Christ do make their abode with them that keep his word Secondly Why God and Christ will make their abode with such Thirdly What an excellent blessing it is to have God and Christ abiding with us First How God and Christ do make their abode with them that keep his word in which these three particulars must be shown 1. How God abides with his People 2. How Jesus Christ abides with them 3. How both God and Christ will make their abode with them that keep his word First How God the first Person in the Trinity is said to make his abode with them that keep his word And this will be two wayes seen First It is not here to be understood of his common or general presence as he is the infinite God and being Omnipresent fills Heaven and Earth for so he abides with all the works of his hands yea so he is with them that fear him not Secondly It is here properly understood of Gods abode by way of special presence as he is a gracious Father there fore Jesus Christ doth first express the Fathers love and then his abode as the product and fruit of his love My Father will love him and we will come unto him c. He will come and abide with his as a God in Covenant with them therefore hath he put it into a promise in the 2. Cor. 6.16 I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Secondly How Jesus Christ will make his abode with them that keep his word which will be shown also First Negatively Secondly Affirmatively First Negatively It is not to be understood of a carnal or corporeal presence of Christ as the Papist imagine as if the flesh of Christ could be in all places whom the Heavens must contain till the time of restitution of all things for saies the Apostle 2. Cor. 5.16 acknowledging If he had known Christ after the flesh yet so he knows him no more Secondly Affirmatively He makes abode with his people after a spiritual manner God the Father makes his abode with his Servants as a Father to them Jesus Christ abides with them as the Head of his Church as it is in Ephe. 5.23 He is the Head of his Church and the Saviour of his Body God abides with us in Christ Jesus Christ abides with us by his Spirit Corn ◠lap A learned Author shews four ways of Christs abode with Believers 1. Politicè ut Rex in Regno As a King in his Kingdom and so he gives Laws as the only Head and King of his Church protects them and order all their affairs 2. Oeconomicè ut Puter in Dome As a Father in his House and so he takes care and makes provision for his people as a Father doth for his Family 3. Ethicè ut ratio in homine As reason in a man which is the light that directs man in all his actions so Jesus Christ directs and leads his people 4. Phisice us Anima in Corpore As the Soul in the Body which animates and acts the whole man without which the Body is a dead and liveless Trunck so Jesus Christ doth quicken our soules by whom we have spiritual life And that he is the Head of his Church and thus abides with them First consider He hath all grace and life in him John 5.26 As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself therefore the Psalmist saies Psal 36.9 With thee is the Well of life and in thy light shall we see light Secondly From him is all grace and life conveyed out unto us John 1.16 of his fulness have we all received and grace for grace Yea whatsoever we receive from the Spirit of God we have from him originally as in John 16.15 For he shall take of mine and shew it unto you Thirdly How God and Christ are both said to make their abode with them that keep his word And this I shall shew to be three wayes First by their special Providence and Inspection with them and so we may see them in several Scriptures abiding with them as in Zach. 1.8,9,10 verses there 's Jesus Christ among the 〈…〉 which represent the Church and in Revel 1.13 He is there in the midst of his Golden Candlesticks and David tells us of his experience of Gods presence with him Psal 73.23 I am continually with thee thou upholdest me with thy right hand and the Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 4.17 The Lord stood by me indeed the eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous and he hath said he will not leave them Secondly They make their abode with them in the Gospel and Gospel Ordinances where
him Though all forsake thee yet will not I. Object Object I have found God and Christ gone from me sayes the Soul when I have had need of him Answ Answer First That God and Christ may and do sometimes hide their faces from their dearest Friends Secondly Though God and Christ do sometimes withdraw from us yet every interruption of Communion is not a separation The Sun doth not cease to be when it ceaseth to shine Grace may suspend its acting but doth not loose its being God will not finally forsake his People Thirdly God hath very many Gracious ends why he sometimes withdraws And they are alway in mercy to his people sad providences producing sweet effects Direct Directions and helps how to get the presence of God and Christ with us First Repent and humble your selves because of all your sins that you have at any time rejected the Counsels of God and refused Grace and Mercy and neglected Opportunities of doing you Souls good and drawing near to God Repentance and Resolution against Sin come like John Baptist to prepare a way and a place for God and Christ to come to and make their abode in Of the Hearts and Houses of Impenitent Sinners we may well say God is not there The way to have God to turn in unto us is to turn away from sin as Ephraim Jer. 31.18,19,20 He bemoaned himself and repented and God came to him as to his dear Son and to his pleasant Child Secondly Believe in Jesus Christ and by faith get an interest in him It is by faith only that we give entertainment to Jesus Christ It is by Jesus Christ alone that God and Man come together No man hath seen the Father at any time but the Son and he to whom he doth reveal him and he that hath the Son hath the Father Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God Thirdly Own Jesus Christ in all his Offices as your King Priest and Prophet First As your King Let him have the Soveraignty of your Souls that he may rule over you If Christ be your King God will be your Father God loves to come where Christ hath his Throne Secondly As your Priest That his Righteousnesse may give you the advantage of Communion with God without which we cannot come near to him and he will not come near to us Thirdly As your Prophet That he may shew you the way If his Spirit be your Guide and his Word your Rule you may be sure his Promises shall be your Portion even this Promise in the Text They will come to you and make their abode with you even God and Christ Dir. 4 Fourthly Seek earnestly after God and Christ in the use of all appointed means till you come to see and enjoy their presence with you Here shall be shewn these two particulars 1. Where we may seek God and Christ 2. How or after what manner we must seek them First Where we may seek after God and Christ First We may find them in the works of Creation these will represent God and Christ unto us the Power and Wisdome of God and Christ by whom the World was made In omnire aspectabili quaedam extant vestigia Dei In all the visible creatures there be some prints of the invisible God so that he which lives altogether without God must needs be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without excuse having God so near to him Secondly We may find them in the Word 2 Cor. 4.6 The glory of God shines there in the face of Jesus Christ and to them that are conversant in the Word God hath promised to reveal himself Isa 66.2 To this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word And the Apostle gives this direction Rom. 10.6.7 Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it The word is night thee even in the mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach Thirdly We may find them in Prayer Jam. 4.8 Draw night to God and he will draw nigh to you If you will be strangers to the duty of Prayer to the Throne of Grace God will be a stranger to you he hath promised to draw nigh to them that draw nigh to him and so in Exod. 20.24 In all places where I record my Name I will come unto thee and I will blesse thee Fourthly We may find them in our Communion with the People of God Where two or three are met together in my Name there will I be saies Christ in the midst of them Therefore Jesus Christ directs us to go up by the foot-steps of the Flock and they enquire wisely Cant. 6.1 that say to the Church of Christ Whither is thy beloved gone that we may seek him with thee and when the two Disciples went to Emmaus communing of Christ He came and joyned himself with them Secondly How or after what manner we must seek God and Christ Take these four following Directions First Affect your selves with the worth and excellency of this presence of God and Christ carry a high esteem of them in your hearts think with your selves how safely they are Immured how Encastled and Provided for who have God and Christ with them as the Prophet said to his servant There is more for them than can be against them Isai 33.16 their place of defence is the Munition of Rocks c. O what sweetness and satisfaction have they within with whom God and Christ abides◠as the Spouse doth express it Cant. 1.3 Because of the savour of thy good Ointments thy Name is as Ointment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee Thy Name of Mercy Wisdom and Faithfulnesse how doth this refresh their hearts that have the presence of God and Christ O sweetness and satisfaction beyond expression and then conclude Sitantus quarentibus 〈◊〉 quantus possidentibus If he be so good to them that seek him how good is he to them that enjoy him Secondly Labour to affect your souls with the great want and need that you have of the presence of God and Christ while men think in their hearts they can be well enough without God and Christ they will never seek after them but say as in Jer. 2.31 We are Lords we will come no more unto thee i. We have strength enough of our own we need no more of thy support and thus David brings in the wicked priding themselves in Psal 10.4 The wicked through the pride of his countenance as in the original through the pride of his Nose will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts when these proud Laodician Spirits will not sock the poor hungry desolate soul that sees a need of God and Christ find them Thirdly Quicken your selves to much diligence in
seeking The Prophet complains No man stirreth up himself to seek the Lord. It is a businesse of the greatest concernment and most not be attended with a cold indifferency but as one set on by a true love and where that is Non quieâ—… 〈◊〉 sed querâ—… 〈◊〉 Love will he restless in the purâ—… of the thing or person beloved See with what heat men seek the world with much more heat seek God and Christ We must do as the woman that had lost her Groat she lights a Candle sweeps the House seeks diligently so we must set up the light of the Word and to work with the 〈◊〉 of a serious repentance and thorough â—…ation and diligently enquirâ—… Thus David with a very vigilant eye seeks him whom his soul loved Psal 130.4.5 I will not give rest to mine eyes nor slumber to my eye lids till I have found out a plâ—… for God c. Lastly Resolve with your selves never to give over till you come to the perfect and full enjoyment of them As Job said I 〈…〉 all the dayes of my appointed time So do you seek all the days of your appointed time If we would find God and Christ we must seek all the dayes of our lives They that will find what they seek must seek till they find As God in the Creation did not rest till he had made Man so Man should not rest till he hath found God And as in the Redemption Jesus Christ did never cease seeking till he had found all the lost sheep of the House of Israel so we should never give over till we have made God and Christ our own This should be the work of our lives and upon this work I must leave you For now I must tell you That perhaps you may not see my face or bear my voice any more in this place yet not out of any peevish humour or disaffection to the present Authority of the Kingdom I call God and Man to witness this day it being my own Practice and Counsel to you all To Fear GOD and Honour the KING but rather a real disatisfaction in some particulars imposed to which notwithstanding all endeavours to that purpose my conscience cannot yet be espoused Wherefore I hope in this and in all my abode with you I may say without ostentation with the Apostle in the 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this The testimony of a good Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world especially to you words And as he said in Acts 20.26.27 So I take you to record this day that I have endeavoured to be pure from the blood of all men for I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God both by my Life and Doctrine because I knew this very well that as one sayes Sâ—… loquâ—…is vita non oratia that the Preachers life is the most lively preaching I shall only adde this my Friends That though my lips be sealed up that I may not speak from God to you yet I shall not cease to speak to God for you as ever I have done And though I cannot have you in my eye yet I shall lodge you in my heart And asking nothing of you but your Prayers shall hope to meet you daily at the Throne of Grace and that at last we may enjoy one another in Heaven And because they say The word of a Dying man wake the deepest impression before I am altogether Civilly dead I shall give you one Exhortation more Exh. 2 Secondly Let it be your endeavour to keep God and Christ with you that they may make their abode with your hearts and houses that whatever you lose you may not be undone In the General First Take heed you do not slight or abuse his Providences Secondly Do not Despise or neglect his Ordinances Thirdly Be sure you do not grieve his Spirit Secondly Observe more particularly these ten directions which I would leave with you That God and Christ may make their constant abode with you First Endeavour to please God and Christ and to walk as the Gospel commands In all well-pleasing And for this purpose Observe these three Rules First Entertain God and Christ like themselves Now they are come to you say as Solomon did of his Temple which he had prepared for his God The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee much lesse this poor Tent so with the most humble frame of spirit admire his greatnesse and infinite condescention for he is the King of Glory as in Psal 24. And so give him suitable entertainment for he will dwell with the humble and contrite spirit If Elizabeth wonder'd at the visit which Mary gave her with a whence is it that the Mother of my Lord is come unto me then admire that the Lord himself should come not only to visit your hearts but to make such a gracious abode with you And as the Centurion said to Christ in the Gospel I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my Roof So acknowledge your unworthinesse of so rich and unparalleld a grace that God and Christ should come in unto you to abide with you Secondly Wait upon God and Christ with all readinesse of mind to observe every intimation of the Will of God to you Stand alwayes ready as Servants wait upon the hand of their Master saying in your hearts Lord what wilt thou have me to do or what wilt thou have me to suffer It is the frame and posture which Christ commends to his Disciples Luke 12.35 Let your loyns be girded about and your lights burning to do his will as it is done in Heaven Thirdly Take pleasure and delight in the company and society of God and Christ above all the pleasures in the world Do nothing without first calling God and Christ into the action Remember this in These four cases especially First Pray God and Christ along with you into all your spiritual duties that you may be sure to perform them all according to the mind of God None knows better what will please God than himself don't enquire so much what others say but what God appoints 't is not what this or that man sayes how we must serve God but what God sayes himself as Agustine said to the Manichee in another case Nec egote nec tu me sed ambo audiamus Apostolum So hear what God and Christ say to us as to the performance of all our duties If we will entertain God and Christ and have their company we must set before them such savoury meat as they like lest we be like them Mat 15.9 of whom Christ sayes In vain do they worship me c. and our service be like theirs of which the Lord said Who hath required these things at your hands O what was that great evil the people were guilty of for which there comes that heavy judgement Psal 78.60 He forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh the Tent which he placed among