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
Hosts and let him be your fear and let him be your dread and he shall be for a Sanctuary Do you set God before you and he will set himself by you and where the great God goes there goes a Guard of Angels Psal 34.7 His Wings be a Covert and his hand a Canopy with which he hides from the Storm and from Rain And that he is a mighty Saviour First Consider his Omnipotency He can do whatever pleaseth him He can make the worm Jacob to thresh Mountains and the Mountains to become a plague before Jerubbabel Zach. 4.7 All the Nations of the Earth are but as a drop of the Bucket or dust of the Ballance compared with him and all hearts are in his hands Therefore sayes the Prophet in Isai 26.4 Trust in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength or the Rock of ages He is no broken Reed but that strength in which we may Confide As David sayes Psal 46.1,2,3 Si fractus illabitur Orbis If the World be dissolved God is our refuge and strength c. therefore we will not fear though the Earth be removed and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea c. Seconâ—ly Consider his immeâ—…tability We have standing Comfort in the unchangeablenesse of this God Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye Sons of Jacob are not consumed And for this we have the experience of David Psal 9.10 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee and the Churches experience Isai 63.9 he bear them and he carried them all the daies of old This great and unchangeable Saviour saves his people these four wayes First He will save and preserve from Evils and will be a Chamber of safety when the Indignation is abroad to hide from the storm Ezek. 11.6 Yet will I be to them as a little Sanctuary in the Countries where they shall come I will be with thee is Gods great Promise and his Peoples Security it was Joshua's Guard and Jeremiah's Brasen-Wall Secondly He will save his people in afflictions as he did the three Children in the burning Fornace thus he delivers in six troubles and also in seven as 't is promised in Isai 43.2,3 When thou passest thorough the waters I will be with thee and thorow the Rivers they shall not overflow thee When thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee For I am the Lord thy God the Holy one of Israel thy Saviour Job's experience is an everlasting proof of this that when the Lead is Consumed the Gold is preserved in the Fornace Thirdly He will save or deliver out of afflictions 1 Cor. 10 13. In the midst of all temptations he will make a way for us to escape them Many are the troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of all He is Emmanuel God with us Our Redeemer from Hell and from Trouble Fourthly He will save by afflictions and by the evils they meet withall Prov. 29.15 The Rod and Reproof give wisdom and as David sayes It was good for me that I was afflicted All things shall work for good 2 Cor. 4.7 These afflictions work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory The Vessel is usually covered with Dirt by the Clensers hand that it may shine with the more brightness So by afflictions God makes us partakers of his Holiness Afflictions and outward evils come alike to all but with much different effect All men fall into afflictions Good and Bad but as the Israelites and the Egyptians went both into the Red Sea and the one was drowned and the other passed throrough to Canaan So the Righteous and the Wicked fall under Calamity the one sinks through unbelief and the other passes thorough safety and by Faith and Patience comes to inherit the promise Secondly The Abode or Presence of God and Christ with Believers is instead of a sure Guide and Light unto them They can never want a Guide who have God with them As the Pillar of a Cloud by day and of Fire by night was unto Israel in all their March The same and more is God to his People in all their Pilgrimage Consider three things First Consider that Man cannot be without this Guide The best of men have very great need of the presence of God to lead them that they be not mis-led and that they don't faint in the way What can the Sheep do without a Shepheard Such is God to his Psal 23.1 without Gods abode with us 't is as Children without a Father and none to direct them and so left to run themselves into mischief What is the World without a Sun Jer. 10.23 The way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Secondly Consider that 't is our great wisdom to commit our way to the guidance of this God and Christ Every wise man will commit his way to God and not move a step without him as Moses in the Conduct of Israel would not move a foot without God That was a good Petition or rather Resolution of David in Psal 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterward receive me to Glory I am resolved to be guided by Gods Counsel and an excellent and imitable practise of Isaac in Gen. 26.24,25 that where he had met God at Beer-sheba and where God had blessed him There he pitched his Tent So we should move as God leads Thirdly Consider That if God undertake to Guide us we shall not miscarry he will certainly bring us saâ—e to Heaven Our feet may be almost gone but shall not be altogether gone Psal 73.2 My feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt So it may be with the choicest of Gods Servants but in the 23 verse Neverthelesse I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand The more dark and dangerous the times be the more we should desire Gods abode with us the nearer a night of trouble or of death is to us the more earnestly beg his stay as the two Disciples Luke 24.29 They constrained Christ saying abide with us for it is towards Evening and the day is far spent Thirdly The abode or presence of God and Christ with his people is instead of a Treasury and Store-house of all Provisions Where Jesus Christ is and where God makes his abode there is a Spring head of comforts that cannot be drawn dry Isa 33.16 Bread shall be given them and their waters shall be sure who have God with them So was God to Israel Deut. 29.5.6 He fed Israel in the wilderness forty years their clothes did not wax old You have not eaten bread neither have you drunk wine or strong drink that ye might know that I am the Lord your God Consider three particulars here First Consider God is
such a store that he is alwayes full He hath an Antarchy in himself and saies to his creatures as in Psal 81.10 Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it ask what you will and there 't is to be had There be full Treasures of temporal and spiritual good things with them with whom God and Christ do make their abode As the Ark of God brought all kind of blessings to the house of Obed-edom so when God comes he brings all things Deus meus omnia My God and all things When Jesus Christ came to Zacheus he tells him This day is Salvation come to thine house that is both temporal and spiritual preservations and deliverances Salvation doth consist in the total absence of all evil and in the presence and possession of all good Secondly God and Christ have left with us the promises of the Covenant to live upon till we come to the inheritance of the purchased Possession These be like the Widows Cruse that never fails this like the Manna will not be with-held while we be in the wilderness till we come into Canaan to feed on the fruits of that Land Heb. 13.5 That 's a sure Promise in which we may by faith see present supplies I will never leave thee nor forsake thee and in Phil. 4.19 we may possesse in that Promise whatever we want My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus Thirdly God hath given us his Son and Jesus Christ hath given us himself as an ensuing pledge of all mercies contained in the promises Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but gave him for us how shall he not with him also freely give us all things He that hath not spared his Son will not with-hold any mercies he that hath given us the best of blessings will not with-hold smaller mercies He doth alway tell his people as in 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for you Thirdly The abode of God and Christ with Believers is their Heaven upon Earth All our happiness is in the abode of God and Christ with us First Consider it is a wonderful mercy of the great God that by his common Providence he is with the works of his hands which is mans safety and David admires at this Psal 8.4 Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of man that thou visitest him Secondly Consider it is a mercy of the greatest worth and to be for ever admired that God and Christ do not only visit us by common Providence and Inspection as his creatures but make their abode with us as with children and friends O this is our glory God doth not come with a short visit for a day for a few days but makes an everlasting abode The Church complained when she thought God was departed because he had been with them and made so short a stay Jer. 14.8 Why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the Land and as a way-faring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night c. but when she remembred the Covenant of eternal abode she comforts her self in the 9. verse Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us To be ever with the Lord is all we can hope for and it is mans contemplative happinesse to converse in his thoughts with that Glory First Consider Jesus Christ hath promised this as our great Glory and full reward I will take you to my self they shall behold my glory 17. Joh. verse 24. 1 Epist Joh. 3.2 We shall be like him 〈◊〉 we shall see him as he is Secondly This abode with God and Christ is the highest option and aim of all the people of God This was Pauls pressings in Phil. 3. That he might attain to the resurrection of the dead i. the state of them that are risen and with God and Christ Therefore resolves after a long debate with himself Phil. 1.21 To be with Christ is best of all and David in Psal 73. at the latter end professes He had none in Heaven but God and there was none upon earth that he desired in comparison of him Use 1 Use First of Lamentation and laments three sorts of persons First Let us lament such as be without God and Christ in the world all ignorant and ungodly persons yea this is the sad case of all the Sons of Adam ever since he sinned and lost communion with his God They be brought forth into the world with their backs upon God and with Gods face against them What was Cain's grief how was his heart hurried into a world of inconceivable distempers and distracting thoughts when he must be turn'd out of Gods presence from the enjoyment of God in his Ordinances Gen. 4.14 Behold thou hast driven me out this day saies poor Cain from the face of the earth but this is as nothing and from thy face shall I be hid and now where is my comfort and safety it shall come to passe that every one that findeth me shall slay me Such persons be as Lambs in a large place Hos 4.16 Without a Keeper in their most plentiful state What hope have such to escape Hell and Destruction Consider these two particulars First Consider it is a very sad case when God and Christ withdraw or depart but for a moment 't is a sad and intolerable moment as we see in the complaint of Christ when God withdrew himself from him My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and in the example of David Asaph and Heman in Psal 77. and Psal 88. and the whole Church laments in Jer. 14.8 Secondly Consider if God and Christ do never come to make their abode with us here we are never like to make our abode with them hereafter and then it were better we had never been born Psal 73.27 They that are far from thee shall perish And this is Hell to be separated from God and Christ 2 Thes 1.8.9 They i. the wicked shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power It is Heaven where-ever God is in his special abode and that is Hell where He is not present in his mercy and grace Secondly Use of Lamentation Let us lament over a worse sort of men and they be such as in Job 21.14 That say to God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes That refuse the word of Christ and be weary of God and his Ordinances and so reject God as if one house could not hold them both as the peoin Isa 30.10.11 Who say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophecy not c. Cause the Holy one to cease from before us They that stop the mouths of them that speak the word of Christ or turn away their ears from harkening to that which is spoken say in effect Let God be gone let Christ depart from us First Consider what an evil frame of spirit it
them Sure it was some great guilt in the former verses we find it to be their Hypocrisie Apostacy and Idolatry any taint of this kind will make the jealous God forsake our solemn meetings Secondly Pray God and Christ into all your Civil affairs The Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with God in their entrance upon every work was a commendable practise It is reported of Publius Scipio the Roman that he would alway go first to the Capitol and then to the Senate So we should begin our Civil Imployments with Spiritual duties And do as Abrahams Servant when he was to take a wife for his Masters Son he took God along with him and thus to abide with God is to have God to abide with us Therefore sayes the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called and in the 24 verse Brethren let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God And God will abide with him Thirdly Pray God and Christ to your Tables at your eating and drinking For man doth not live by bread onely If these be Guests at your Tables you must needs have Cheer enough there 's more sweetnesse in a morsel with them then in all dainties without them And then you may be sure also your Tables shall not become a Snare unto you Theophrastus reports of the Heathens that they did first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they did first Sacrifice and then Kill lay on their meat entertain and eat And it is the Apostles rule seeing all things come of God through Christ That God and Christ should not be Unbidden Guests but as in 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God Fourthly Pray God and Christ along with you in Morning when you rise and at Evening when you lie down visit him Morning by Morning and Evening by Evening this is the way to have a Prosperous day and a Safe night David took this course Psal 4.8 I will both lay me down and take my rest for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety and this gave Jacob such a pleasant Dream Gen. 28. that having God with him he was an night within view of Heaven Dir. 2 Secondly Love God and Christ above all and then God and Christ will not depart from you For He shews mercy to Thousands of them that love him and hath made over Himself and Heaven and All to them that love him It is reported of Ignatius that his Love was such to God and Christ that he had the name of Christ Cordi ejâ—…s inscâ—…iptum Graven upon his heart It is such a Heart-love that He requires for He is a jealous God and will have all our Love If we Love any thing better First It will steal away our Hearts from God And Secondly It will take off the Heart of God from us so that God and Christ will set themselves against us Dir. 3 Thirdly If we would have God and Christ to make their constant abode with us Delight in the Society and Fellowship of the People of God with whom they dwell Never be ashamed to converse with them whom God and Christ do own for theirs The Apostles argument why we should entertain Strangers in Heb. 13.2 because thereby some have entertained Angels unawares is but mean and inconsiderable to this Reason why we should entertain and own the Saints of God for thereby we are sure to entertain Christ as in Mat. 25.40 For this cause the Gibeonites made a League with Israel For we have heard that God is with you And there is a promise in Zech. 8.23 That Ten men out of all Languages shall take hold of the skirt of a Jew saying we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Mal. 3.16 They that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it c. He was with them and indeed God dwells in the Tabernacles of the Righteous Dir. 4 Fourthly If we would have the constant abode of God and Christ with us Let us keep our selves clean from Sin our Hearts pure Consciences undefiled and as the Apostle sayes voyd of Offence towards God and towards Men very careful not to Sin against God and very circumspect not to Sin against Man that this may be our Comfort that the world must needs say of us as they did of Daniel that they could find nothing against him save in the Law of his God as in Daniel 6.5 Whatever others doe beware of Sin Say as Joshuah I and my House will serve the Lord. Watch against Sin Chuse any Suffering rather then the least Sin Consider in that choice two particulars First Consider in all your sufferings God will be with you but in any of your Sins he will not abode with you as in the example of Israel Exod. 32.23 When the Calf was got into the Camp God forsakes the Hoast of Israel When Saul forsook the Lord the Spirit of the Lord forsook him That was an excellent Saying of Azariah the Son of Obed in the 2 Chron. 15.2 and Oh that all England could hear it Hear thou me Asa and all Judah The Lord is with you while you be with him If you seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you Secondly Consider 'T is an Act of high presumption reflecting much upon the Purity and Holynesse of God for 〈◊〉 to imagine that God will own and prosper them with his Presence while they go on to do wickedly in their Whoredomes Drunkenesse Blasphemy and all manner of Prophanesse which God can no more own then disown himself So they foolishly promised themselves Peace Deut. 29.19 though they walk in the imagination of their Hearts and add Drunkennesse to Thirst But the Lord will not spare but his Anger and Jealousie shall smâ—ak against them till he hath brought them down from their high Mount of a Sinful and Carnal Confidence Therefore the Prophet reproves that wicked people Mich. 3.11 where the Judges the Priests and the Prophets were corrupted Yet they say Is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us Therefore shall Zion be plowed as a Field c. as Abner said to Joab This will prove an evil thing and a bitter in the latter end as Galen sayes of Meats Quae dulcia sunt facile in bilem amaritudinem convertuntur Sweet meats generate Choller and Corrupt matter So Sin that is a sweet morsel now will be Shame Death and Hell at last Dir. 5 Fifthly With an humble acknowledgment of former Barrennesse under Gods gracious presence with you resolve and endeavour to be more fruitful God never left his Vineyard and pull'd up the Hedge and commanded the Rain not to fall upon it in Isai 5. till it became Barren or did bear corrupt fruit The exil'd Confessors in Queen Maries dayes confessed that