our applications and have our recourse to him advise with him When we are exercised with any doubts fears or troubles let us open our case to him and desire his help Psal. 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people Psal. 73. 17. Gods providences and the wisdom and Justice of his counsell therein were too painful for him till he went unto the sanctuary of God then understood he their end 3. Let us close with what counsell he is pleased to give us We must take diligent care that we be not mistaken that we take not that for the counsell of Gâ—d which is not when he hath imparted his mind unto us we must be sure to close with it Let it appear with what aspect it will it is that which tends to our good It is that which being followed will lead us up to glory Now having dispatched the first part of this verse thou shalt guide me by thy counsel we proceed to the latter part and afterward receive me to glory wherein we draw this doctrinal position according to the words of the Text. Doct. That after God hath guided his faithful servants by his counsel he will receive them to glory He hath ever exercised the thoughts of wise and considerate men what must become of them after the expiration of this life This is the language of every serious man oh what will become of me Where must I be and what must I do for ever Nay the more regardless and desolate sort of men when they come to die are not altogether without such thoughts witness Adrian a great wit but a bad man being upon his deathbâ—d saith he O my soul quae nunc abibis in loca into what place art thou a going Now as it is God only who can resolve this doubt so he hath done it by degrees in the old Testament more obscurely in the new more clearly and distinctly 2 Tim. 1. 10. Now it is made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel Though in the old Testament this be exhibited more darkly yet hath he set down many passages therein especially as to what shall become of the righteous from which an observant person may receive much light amongst which this is one thou wilt guide me by thy counsel here and afterward receive me unto glory He is the King of glory Psal. 24. 10. Who is the King of glory The Lord of Hosts he is the King of glory He hath glory to dispose of 1 Chron. 16. 27. Glory and honour in his presence And he will in such a way and at such a time as he thinks fit convey his servants to it Psal. 49. 15. But God will redeem my Soul foom the power of the grave for he will receive me whilst the wicked shall be thrown into the graves and into hell he will receive me into a state of glory and rest So Isa. 58. 8. Thy righteousness shall go before thee and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rere-ward in the original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Pagnine renders gloria dei colliget te A very remarkable passage importing as much as the glory of the Lord is ready to gather us up into it so prepared is it and fitted for us If we will but fear aright obey aright and live aright we shall see the day wherein the glory of the Lord will stretch its arms round about us and gather us up into it self hence the words of Christ entring into his Fathers Joy and Rest Psal. 15. who shall abide in Gods Tabernacle and dwell in his holy hill that is not meant of Zion or Moriah those not being able to contain all such as there are mentioned but who shall dwell in heaven who shall be admitted into thy kingdom of glory to behold thy face for ever For the farther illustration and proof of this position we shall consider four things 1. What is meant by glory 2. What kind of glory this is that God will receive his servants into 3. In what manner God will manage his business 4. When he will do it 1. What is meant by glory The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in its primary notation imports gravity or weight According to the more frequent use of it it imports glory To both those notations the Apostle seems to have respect 2 Cor. 4 17. When he opposes the weight of glory to the light affliction This glory is ponderous it weighs much with his people more than all their sufferings Thus Christ for the Joy set before him endures the cross Now for the word glory The meaning of it is so well known that I can scarcely offer you a word for the describing of it which is not as obscure as it self It do's in this place import a splendid magnificent state such as is attended with a confluence of all good things even what ever is requisite to the rendring of a man happy This the Holy Ghost proposes to us under several notions as a Crown Rev. 2. 10. I will give thee a Crown of life a throne Rev. 3. 4. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne A kingdom Mat. 6. 33. seek first the kinglom of God and the righteousness thereof Rest. Heb. 4. 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God Joy Matth. 25. 21. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Pleasure Psal. 16. 11. At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore and here glory These and such like terms do's the Holy Ghost use to hint unto us the meaning of that state which God after he hath guided them with his counsel will take his servants into it 2. What kind of glory is this and here I would give you a particular account of it But alas who am I that I should do it that I should attempt it This is a work fitter for some glorious Angel than for such a worm as I am In these mystical and sublime matters we can go no farther than God is pleased to help us with special revelation And what he hath revealed concerning the present business he hath set down in his word But the account we have therein concerning it consists rather of some few general hints than any particular distinct discoveries Even the Sacred Penmen themselves found themselves at a great loss in this matter 1 John 3. 2. It doth not yet appear what we shall be John the beloved John that lay in the bosome of Christ was the beloved Disciple he that was in the mount with Christ did not fully understand what the Saints shall be And when we have gone over the Bible perused all that the holy men of God have left behind them concerning it and set it together it will be but like the Prophets pourtraying of Jerusalem upon a tile Ezek. 4. 1.
which is according to godliness 2 God upholds his people from desponding and fainting sometimes their tryals and troubles are so great that they know not what in the world to do with themselves so that if he did not interpose they would faint and throw up their Religion and hopes at once Psal. 73. 13. 21. Now to prevent this God comes in with his cordial waters instructs satisfies and comforts them When they were about to pull Paul in pieces Acts 23. 11. It s said the night following the Lord stood by him and said be of good cheer The Lord upholds his people under spiritual disertions that they shall not be utterly and irrecoverably cast down and sunk under the sence of his displeasure and the hiding of his face he presents to them and convinces them of their great weakness in their complaints and shews them the days of the right hand of the most High helps them that sit in darknes to reflect on former experience when they had sunshine and his promise that he will be a light unto them a Sun and a shield and will withhold from them no good thing so Psal. 77. 7. 8 10. Psal. 42. 6. 8. He assures them that he is not gone for evermore that he is not quite gone Though for a small moment he forsake them yet with great mercy will he gather them Isa. 54. 7. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy upon thee Under their greatest dejections there is some sprig or other of comfort that they lay hold on and is stretched out unto them that they may be kept from being overwhelmed some twig or other of a promise or experience that may bear them up Though God seems to be departed from them quite yet he doth but hide his face whereby his favour is discovered in more clear features He is nigh to them by his special grace when they think him afar off when they are crying the Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten and are groping for him in the dark he is at their right hand The Lord upholds them from being discouraged and fainting under outward afflictions and therefore shews them how needful and useful they are how much love care and fatherly tenderness and providence there is manifested in them and the design of them how light and short they are compared to the mass of glory that is set before them what the end of the Lord is with his servants who patiently expect the coming of Christ lest they should be weary and faint in their minds Heb. 12. 3 5. 3. God apholds his people from ruine and destruction both temporal and eternal 1. From temporal ruine and so he either upholds them against troubles of the world that they shall not touch them or keeps them from the evils of World though they share in common calamities and though they do not escape yet they shall be enabled to bear afflictions that the tryall of their faith may be found though it be tryed by fire unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Sometimes God preserves them from the eminent judgments he brings upon the world of the ungodly They are separated from the plagues brought on the wicked when their preservation may make eminently for his glory and when they have born remarkable witness against the sins that have brought judgments While Lot lingred Gen. 19. 16. the men laid hold upon his hand the Lord being merciful to him and they brought him forth and set him without the City thus was he delivered from that flaming destruction an èmblem of hell which turned Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes That righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds and filthy conversation 2 Pet. 2. 6. 7 8. The Lord knoweth how and when to deliver the righteous and godly out of temptations and out of judgments and how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished God spared not the old world but saved Noah the eighth person a preacher of righteousness bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly 2 Pet. 2. 5. That God might shew his power and publish his name through all the earth he raised up Pharaoh and destroyed him when he made a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters for Israel that was precious in his sight when they passed through the waters in the red Sea the Lord was with them and when they passed over the river of Jordan it did not overflow so the God in whom the three Worthies in Babylon trusted Dan. 3. 16. 17. was able to deliver them from the fiery furnace that they were not burnt neither did the flame kindle upon them If they cannot promise themselves security from common calamity as ordinarily they cannot yet they pray and it is promised that they shall be delivered from this present evil world The Lord is faithful who shall establish and keep them from evil 2 Thes 3. 3. And our Lord Jesus who knew what was most necessary and proper for his Disciples Joh. 17. 15. Prayeth not that God would take them out of the world in which world chap. 16. 33. He had told that they should have tribulation but that he would keep them from the evil And Christ gave himsef for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world Though they fall into the hands of violent and unreasonable men that neither have faith nor humanity yet they are in the hands of God not forsaken of him and therefore not utterly cast down Though they fall they shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth them with his hand Psal. 37. 24. When trouble is on every side and they seem to be hedg'd in with thorns they are not disstressed so that there is no way can be found for them to escape when they are in the snare of the fowler God breaks the snare and they escape They may be perplexed but not in dispare persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. God will be with them in six troubles and in seven Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of them all Psal. 34. 19. Their fall shall not be irrecoverable and desperate but they shall arise out of their afflictions and their faith shall triumph over the reproaches and malice of the malignant world Matth. 7. 8. VVhen I fall I shall arise A just man falleth seven times and riseth up again Prov. 24. 16. There shall be an end of their troubles their redemption draws on Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed be shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised Jam. 1. 12. It would be madness indeed to cast away their confidence which hath great recompence of reward They
men have much worth in them but God is far above them both There are glorious things in Heaven and curious things on earth but none comparable unto God When all is done he is the glory as well as the Author of the whole Creation As for the proof of the point he himself affirms it Isa. 46. 9. I am God and there is none else I am God and there is none like me So Jer. 49. 19. Who is like me not only as to my glorious perfections in my nature But as to the manifestation of my power wisdom goodness Whom can the Creature propound to it self as an object equal in goodness might and knowledge with my self And the servants of God teach this that there is none like God They have found by experience that there is none to be compared to him Deut. 33. 26. There is none like unto the God of Jesurun who rideth upon the heaven in thy help and in his excellency on the skye Psal. 89. 6. Who in the Heavens can be compared unto the Lord Who amongst the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord. 1 King 8. 23. There is no God like thee in heaven above or on earth beneath This is the constant language of the Scripture None like God none to be compared with God none equal to him which saying I could wish were ever sounding in our ears that so we might yeild him that respect which the incomparable perfection of his nature and unspeakable communication of his goodness calls for 1. Then we are to consider in what respect there is none like to or to be compared with God 1. There is none like him in his Nature or Attributes which are such as none else are endued with 1. In his knowledge and wisdom none like him Some men know very much and Angels know incomparably more but God knows infinitely more than either He knows whatever is to be known what is possible to be comprehended by knowledge There is not any thing in Heaven or Earth Sea or Land but he is acquainted with it He knows all persons and all their concernments He knows all things past present and to come and that distinctly and infallibly Jer. 32. 19. Thine eyes are upon all the wayes of the sons of men to give every one according to his ways And that which adds much to the perfection of his knowledge is this that those things which lye in the deepest obscurity and are most remote from humane observation are as obvious to him as any other things whatsoever Jer. 23. 23 24. I am a God at hand and not afar off Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord And that which doth yet further commend his knowledge to us is this that he knows how to improve it and make it serve his own interest Some men have a great deal of knowledge but know not how to use it but God by his infinite wisdom orders things so that whatever falls out in the world let the Providence seem dark and harsh yet he makes it serviceable to his glory and he governs the actions of his enemies which they mean for their particular malitious ends unto his own service and praise 2. There is none like God in his might and power Some men have much power but the Angels excel in strength they are able to do mighty things but God doth quite transcend them Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the gods who is like thee Amongst the gods is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Tremelius and Junius render inter fortissimos amongst the most mighty ones So Psal. 89. 8. O Lord God of Hosts who is a strong Lord like unto thee Who is able to stand before him What are Armies Kingdoms Empires when he engages against them What creature in all the world is there so great and potent which he is not able to frown into fear and trembling anguish and horror What difficultie is there which he is not able to break through and conquer Is there any thing too hard for the Lord Gen. 18. 14. I am the Lord the God of all flesh is there any thing too hard for me Nothing can be too hard for him for nothing is hard to him There are only two sorts of things which cannot be done by God the first those which imply a contradiction and those cannot be done as a thing cannot be and not be at the same time c. The second are those which imply impotency As we say God cannot sin so Tit. 1. 2. In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised Now that he cannot do the first ariseth from the impossibility of the thing in it self And that he cannot do the second arises from the perfection of his nature that is such that it can do nothing but what is holy and good But then for whatsoever things are possible to be done and fit to be done he can do them 3. There is none like God in his Soveraignty and Dominion There are some Princes have great Soveraignty as Ahasuerus who is supposed to be that Xerxes whereof we have mention in profane History Esth. 1. 1. But what 's this in comparison of the Soveraignty which God hath The mountains fly before him the Heavens melt the Seas and Rivers are made a Chrystal wall for the ransomed to pass over the Sun stands still the Stars fight the winds are still when he gives command and inflated Monarchs commanding the creatures from their natural course have discovered more their prodigious folly than power In all this great earth there is not a spot of ground but it is his Though he lets it out to the sons of men yet he still remains the chief Proprietary and Lord he is the chief Lord and so will be to the worlds end He is the King of all the earth Psal. 47. 27. He is a great King over all the earth Men count it a great mattâ—r if they can but once possess themselves of a lâ—ttle part of the earth But he is Lord of all The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof If I 〈◊〉 hungry I would not tell thee for the world is mine Psal. 50. 12. What is a small Center to the wide circumference of the Heavens And what are the visible Heavens to the Heaven of Heavens that cannot contain him 4. There is none like him in his Ubiquity or Omnipresence He is every where neither man nor Angel can be in several places at the same time Their alicubi being in some place or ubi excludes alibi elsewhere being in another place or space But God is every where at one and the same instant included by excluded out of no place Psal. 139. 7 12. Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence Here David discourses of Gods Omnipresence and shews it is such that neither Heaven nor Earth neither Sea
redeemeth thy life from destruction Let the distemper be what it will the Ague Fever Stone Gout yet he is able to prevent or cure it Some distempers are so difficult and incurable that they are looked upon as Ludibria medicorum the scorn and disgrace of Physitians But there is no distemper in the world which God is not able to heal and cure He is not under any restraint but what he lays upon himself Psal. 135. 6. Whatsoever he pleaseth he doth in heaven and in earth What his soul desireth that he doth Job 23. 13. And he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think Ephes. 3. 20. Oh the greatness of the Lord our God and what security is there here for us in the greatest and most dangerous estate and condition 2. He relieves them against the maladies of their souls He is a Physitian both for body and soul and understands the maladies and distempers of the one as well as the other and can heal those which belong to the latter as well as those which belong to the former And 1. He relieves them against their greatest sorrow Under their greatest troubles and discouragements he can cheer up their souls and make them pleasant and joyful 2 Cor. 2. 14. Thanks be to God who alwaies causeth us to triumph in Christ. Here are two things to be considered 1. What a condition the Apostles were in as to their outward concernments they were even as miserable as men could be 1 Cor. 4. 13. Accounted as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things 2. What God did for them Times of triumph are times of extraordinary joy yet such was the goodness of God to them that he did not only cause them to triumph but this he did for them in the time when their troubles and the power of the wicked caused their enemies to triumph 2. He relieves them against fear He many times works them to such a recumbency and dependence on him as causes all their fear to cease and vanish Psal. 3. 6. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about If God assist no Lion Bear or monster of men shall do any thing to the quelling of the hearts of Believers And this was not a favour peculiar to him but such as he vouchsafes to other of his faithful servants Psal. 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. Notwithstanding the outward effect and visible tendency of things to the contrary yet he works in them this perswasion that the issue of things will be good whereby he dissolves and scatters those fears which otherwise would perplex and annoy them 3. He relieves them against their distrust Sometimes their oppositions difficulties and dangers are so great that their very hearts are ready to sink and faint within them Now at such a time he often comes in bears up their hearts and satisfies them resolves their doubts and satisfies their jealousies You know who said 1 Sam. 27. 1. I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul But Psal. 118. 17. we have him in another temper then saith he I shall not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord. Oh how doth faith change the language of the soul and what happy alterations doth it work therein Now we shall proceed to the Reasons Reas. 1. Is drawn from the benignity kindness and goodness of his own nature which puts him upon those gracious appearances wherewith he is upon all occasions so ready to favour his people Other reasons may be assigned but this is the fundamental Original Soveraign Reason which gives birth and existence to those that follow Rom. 9. 15. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy It is the goodness of his nature that puts him upon those eminent appearings for the support and deliverance of his people 2. From their necessity which is such as cryes aloud for it Alas who or what are they that they should be able to bear up against the maladies either of body or soul Now God being aware of this doth in compliance with their necessities afford them relief Deut. 32. 36. The Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left This is set down not only as an account of the time when God would help them but likewise as the reason wherefore he would do it Men commonly are readiest to help us when we have least need but God when we have most He loves to appear in difficult cases and shew himself when he may best serve his own praise 3. From that service which he may hereby do to his own glory To relieve a distressed people is a noble act and such as is meet to commend the nature of God to us And there is not any person who any hath tincture of true piety or gratitude but being strengthned by God will bless and praise him for it Exod. 15. 2. The Lord is my strength and song and he is become my salvation he is my God and I will prepare him an habitation my fathers God and I will exalt him The people of God have ever resolved to make the Lord that hath appeared as their strength their song Psal. 118. 14. The Lord is my strength and song And for this end doth God become the strength of his people to this end to make their hearts and mouths full of the praises of God their deliverer Psal. 30. 11 12. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put off my sackcloth and guided me with gladness To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee and not be silent O Lord my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever Use 〈◊〉 of Information If it be thus that God is the strength of his people 1. We may see whence it is that the people of God bear up and hold out under such great oppositions and difficulties Satan he is against them and for the World that 's against them and as if these were not sufficient they have infirmities both of body and soul to encounter with and yet they hold out Now whence happens this 2 Tim. 4 16 17. Though all men forsook me notwithstanding saith Paul the Lord stood with me and strengthned me and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion God stood by him bound the Emperors hands that he could do nothing against him 2. It appears whence it comes to pass that they accomplish such great things What great and famous things did Moses Joshua Gideon David and others accomplish Whence had they the might power and victory It was not by their might their puissance by their strength that they prevailed but the spirit of God Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me 3. What folly and
unworthiness it is in good men to appear against God or do any thing to his dishonour or against his interest It is no less than to appear and fight against their own strength Should you see a man strike at and beat his own arm you would take it for a piece of strange madness And yet no less madness is it for any one to ingage against God to ingage against him who is his strength For men to fight against him is to kick against the pricks a folly to a Proverb and for the people of God to oppose him is for Israel to oppugne the strength of Israel to fight against themselves He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul all they that hate me love death Prov. 8. 36. 2. Use of Exhortation 2. Let us in time of affliction of body and soul flee unto him and make use of him who is the strength of our life When any thing ailes us either in body or soul let us have recourse to him for he is abundant in strength he is mighty in strength and wisdom Job 36. 5. None can enter the lists with him Who hath been his counsellor His strength is everlasting Isa. 26. 4. In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength He is ready to communicate it to his people Isa. 41. 10. I am thy God I will strengthen thee And what more can we desire to encourage us to have recourse to him 2. Let us plead it to him when we are in need of help from him Let 's urge it to him whether he be not our strength and in case he be let us plead with all reverence and holy boldness whether it be not proper for him to help us Psal. 43. 2. For thou art the God of my strength why dost thou cast me off Thou hast caused me to hope in thee thou hast said that thou wouldst be my strength thou hast engaged that thou wilt not cast them off that cast their concerns on thee that trust in thee and have hoped and trusted in this word I have refused all other things as empty vanities that cannot help and wilt thou cast me off Let men and Angels see that thou art faithful and wilt not in thy works fly off from thy word Lord let it be unto me according to thy good word of promise and as thou hast been unto thy people make it appear as 1 Sam. 15. 29. That the strength of Israel will not lie 3. When we undertake the performances of duty let us undertake and perform them in his strength Distrusting our own strength let us rely and depend upon his You know the voice that came down to Augustine In te stas non stas Such is the weakness of our own strength that if we have no more than it we shall do just nothing When we ingage in any duty pray read hear or sing let us rely on him to help us to the acceptable performances to help our infirmities when we know not how to offer them as we ought and to bless us in the deed Psal. 71. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy righteousness even ofthine only We look upon our selves strong enough to manage duties and this hath been the overthrow of many a duty that we have horribly fail'd in it and lost the blessing of it 4. Let 's not measure our safety or welfare by any thing in our selves but by the strength of God If we measure our strength and welfare by what is in our selves we shall be despairing and fainting every day but measuring it by him we shall be capable of preserving our selves in a state of hope and confidence when we have such difficulties before us we may pass the sentence of death on our selves without blame and cast off our confidence and let our expectation perish but whiles they are no other than such as he is able to deal with there is ground of hope stand still saith Moses to the murmuring Israelites and see the salvation of the Lord. Herein we commonly miss it that we measure our safety by a wrong rule 5. Let us ascribe our enduring of sufferings and performance of duties unto him If we suffer patiently bear under the yoke of Christ let us give the praise to God saying not to us but to thy name give the glory Psal. 115. 1. 'T is not our own strength not our own courage that can bear us up under or get us out of trouble The Psalmist ascribes strength to the Lord as that which belongs to him dare not usurpe and attribute to himself his deliverances Psal. 59. 17. Unto thee O my strength will I sing for God is my defence and the God of my mercy 3. Use of Comfort Is God the strength of his people when they are exercised with any distress Here then is comfort for you who labour under faylings both of body and mind You are exercised perhaps with decays in your sences strength health with sorrow fear distrust and find your own ability insufficient to encounter herewith However be of good cheer God is engaged for you and what condition can you be in which God is not able to deliver you out of It is not your own strength but his which you have to trust to Which is a consideration so full of comfort that it may afford us relief in the lowest condition in the saddest times and most difficult seasons How low was the condition of Asaph yet he settles his thoughts and quiets himself with this consideration That God was his strength the strength of his heart and his portion for ever Doct. 2. That God is the portion of his people Notwithstanding all his perfections sufficiency and fulness yet he hath bestowed and setled himself upon them for all those advantages and uses which a portion is serviceable to Not judging any thing in the world good enough to be a portion for them he hath bestowed himself upon them Herein he hath so ordered things that the business stands reciprocall 1. They are his portion Deut. 32. 9. The Lords portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his inheritance Zach. 2. 12. And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy Land They are the portion of mankind that he makes his peculiar that he will own and delight in And then 2. He is their portion Psal. 119. 157. Thou art my portion O Lord. Lament 3. 24. The Lord is my portion saith my soul. And that you may not think he restrains himself to particular persons he is said to be the portion of Jacob. Jer. 10. 16. The portion of Jacob is not like them Now there is a great deal of difference betwixt the grounds of their being his portion and his being theirs They are said to be his portion inasmuch as he hath chosen them from amongst all the people in the world to profess his name hold communion with him and serve him And he is said