and a People more then thou be not affraid of them for the Lord thy God is with thee which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt Once more Moses encourageth the people and Joshua Deut. 31. 6 8. The Lord he it is that doth go before thee he will be with thee he will not fail thee nor for sake thee fear not neither be dismayed 13. God is with his people sometimes to make them greater and greater as he was with David 1 Chron. 11. 9. So David waxed greater and greater for the Lord of Hosts was with him But what if we wax not greater and greater in the World if we wax greater and greater in Goodness in knowledge faith and other graces will it not be much better and this we shall do if God be with us 14. God is with his people to Correct them But you will say perhaps Is it a priviledge to be corrected A greater priviledge it may be then all the rest Sirs such is our State here that we need correction We are Sanctified but in part We have Dross and Dirt and Rust and Filth in and about us God knoweth If you had no Dross you would need no Fire If you had no Dirt you would need no washing If no Rust you would need no File and if no Chaff you would need no Flail If no Folly you would need no Rod. But seeing you have Dross Dirt Rust and Chaff not a little Is it not best for the Gold to be refined and best for the Dirt and Filth to be washed out and for the Chaff to be fann'd away and for the Rust to be scoured off And if so is iâ— not a priviledge to be Corrected Correction is our melting washing fanning â—iling If the Child offend in the Fathers â—bsence he scapes a scouring but if the Father be at home he will not think to scape so If we offend and be faulty God is with us to Correct us And he will correct yet as a Father in measure He will stay his rough Wind in the day of his East Wind. Isa. 27. 8. Fear thou not O Jacob my servant saith the Lord for I am with thee I will not make a full end of thee as of others but correct thee in measure yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished Jer. 46. 28. and 30. 11. David blessed God for his Correction Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word Psal. 119. 67. and v. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes and v. 75. I know O Lord that thy Judgements are righâ— and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me 15. God is with his people to encline their hearts to himself to walk in his wayes 1 King 8. 57 58. The Lord our God is with us let him not leave us nor forsake us that we may encline our hearts unto him to walk in all his wayes and to keep his commandments 16. To enable them to finish work begun The Lord God even my God will be with thee said David to his Son Solomon he will not fail thee nor forsake thee unâ—il thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. 1 Chron. 28. 20. 17. To give wisdom and understanding David prayes The Lord be with thee my Son and give wisdom and understanding 1 Chron. 22. 11 12. and to give him a wise behaviour David behaved himself wisely in all his wayes and the Lord was with him 1 Sam. 18. 14. 18. God is with his people to effect difficult undertakings Moses thought that going to Pharaoh and bringing the Children of Israel out of Egypt was a work too great and difficult for him and therefore desired to be excused saying who am I that I should take such a work in hand Exod. 3. 11. I am not eloquent I am of slow speech and of a slow tongue Exod. 4. 10. T is no matter for that saith God go and I will be with thy mouth and I will teach â—hee what thou shalt say Exod. 4. 12. Certainly I will be with thee Exod. 3. 12. And thou shalt bring them out of Egypt And Joshua should bring them into Canaan as hard a work as it was for God will be with him Deut. 31. 23. 19. To hold them I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by thy right hand Psal. 73. 23. thou hast holden me fast so Ainsworth and kept me from falling so Isa. 41. 10. I am with thee I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness God is with us to hold us by our right hand with his right hand this is a great priviledge seeing God is greater then all and none is able to pluck them out of his hand Joh. 10. 29. He is with us to keep us by his Power through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. 20. God is with his people to separate them and others Exod. 33. 16. To make a difference between them that serve him and them that serve him not Mal. 3. 18. and 4. 1. 2 3. See an instance Dan. 3. 22 23. In those that were cast into the fiery Furnace and those that cast them in See also to this purpose Exod. 11. 7. 10. 23. 9. 26. 8. 22. 23. When some are seperated to evil Deut. 29. 21. God is with his people to separate them unto good 3. I come now to the third General to shew that this priviledge of Gods gracious presence is much to be desired and prayed for Paul desired it for these Thessalonians 2 Thes. 3. 16 And for Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 22. Moses desired it for himself and the people Exod. 13. 15. 34. 9. If I have found grace in thy sight O Lord let my Lord I pray thee go amongst us So did Jabez 2 Chron. 4. 10. Jabez called on God saying Oh that thou wouldst bless me and that thine hand might be with me David also desired it for Solomon 1 Chron. 22. 11 16. My Son the Lord be with thee v. 11. Arise and be doing and the Lord be with thee v. 16. Jonathan also prayes thus for David The Lord be with thee 1 Sam. 20. 12. And thus prayes Solomon for himself â—nd for his people 1 King 8. 57. The Lord our God be with us let him not leave us nor forsake us that we may encline our â—earts unto him to walk in all his wayes 4. Now for the ground and reasons of this Doctrine why Gods presence is so much to be desired and prayed for 1. Rea. Because God is so excellent and admirable in all Perfections There is nothing wanting in God God is All. How excellent is that name of his Exod. 34. 6. The Lord the Lord God Merciful and Gracious long suffering and aboundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Again Mic. 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by
bestowing mercies on us See Psal. 130. 4. Luke 1. 73 74. Psalm 105. 39. to end 2. Is it not to you that God applies himself in this beseeching way even to you who have received mercy to be begotten again quickned pardoned called renewed and saved T is to you he comes and beseeches by all his mercies be not conformed to this world Others that have not received these mercies he cannot beseech by them 3. Had others received the mercies you have and being beseeched by them would they not think you be perswaded 4. Will you hazard and endanger your selves by conforming to and keeping company with the men of this world Jehosaphat did so 1 Chron. 19. 1 2. and wrath was upon him therefore Josiah did so 2 King 23. 29. His forwardness to pleasure the King of Assiria cost him his life The Israelites conformed to Egypt in Idolatry Exod. 32. 1 2 3. And Gods wrath waxes hot against them v. 10. And to the Moabites in Adultery Numb 25. 1 2. and the anger of the Lord was kindled against them If you live after the manner of wicked men you are like to be judged after their manner Ezek. 23. 4 5. If the Assirian or others will persecute after the manner of Egypt they shall be punished after the manner of Egypt Isa. 10. 24 26. 5. Doth not God find fault with doing after the manner of others See 2 King 17. 33. 2 Chron. 13. 9. 6. Is not that which is highly esteemed among men abominable in the sight of God Luke 16. 15. That course of life which is most contrary to the fashions of the world is most commendable and acceptable to God The further we go from the world in our speech gesture attire works and actions the nearer we come to true Godliness Jam. 1. 27. GODS severity against MAN for Iniquity Ezek. 24. 13 14. In thy filthiness is lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee I the Lord have spoken it c. HAth he said it and shall he not do it Hath he spoken and shall he not make it good Numb 23. 19. Did he not make it good against the Jews his own peculiar people 2 King 25. begin Jer. 39. 1 c. Jer. 52. 4 And if God spared not them the natural branches Rom. 11. 21. will he spare us Take heed England Take heed London lest he also spare not thee If God have brought evil upon the City which was called by his name should ye be utterly unpunished ye shall not be unpunished See Jer. 25. 29. If they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup who might rather have expected favour then you If these have assuredly drunk are you those that shall go altogether unpunished you shall not go unpunished but shall surely drink See Jer. 49. 12. Nay if God spared not the Angels nor a whole world will he spare us 2 Pet. 2. 4. I would hope that God will not make a full end of us but will correct us in measure yet sure he will not leave us wholly unpunished Jer. 46. 28. But if there be lewdness in our filthiness and we will not be purged God will cause his fury not only to creep but to rest upon us as it has done upon others In these two verses not to speak of the context for time will not give leave we have a heavy judgment threatned with the cause and certainty of it 1. The judgment threatned Thou shalt not be purged c. Till c. 2. The cause of it In thy filthiness is lewdness because I would have purged thee and thou wast not purged 3. The certainty of it I the Lord have spoken it c. In thy filthiness In thy sin which is filthiness Sin so called 2 Cor. 7. 1. In thy Idolatry Covetousness Pride Prophaneness Hypocrisie Oppression Is lewdness obstinacy for she would not be purged from it and rejoycing Jer. 11. 15. Because I have purged thee I have sought to purge thee by Admonitions Exhortations Counsels Threatnings Reproofs Corrections And thou wast not â—urged All labour was in vain and fruitless As for the word of the Lord they would not hearken to it Jer. 44. 16. Zech. 7. 12. Thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more Thou shalt be Warned Exhorted Counselled Threatned Reproved no more but shall be left to perish in thy sins as desperate and incurable Till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Till I have satiated satisfied my wrath and eased my self of my adversaries and avenged me of mine enemies Isa. 1. 24. Till I have purged them in Hell fire sayes one which will be ever doing but never be done Doct. God will at last cause his fury to rest upon a people that will not be purged from their filthiness God will and this will of his is 1. Most just Because God has offered them mercy and they would none of it Thus A Subject commits high Treason against his Prince for which he is condemned His Prince out of pitty sends him a pardon which he rejects tears and tramples under foot If the Prince resolve this man shall dye for it is not his resolution just See Ezra 9. 33. Dan. 9. 14. Lam. 1. 18. 2. Most unchangeable for Numb 23. 19. At last He is not hasty but slow to anger He being God and not man Hos. 11. 9. can bear long and does yet will not alwayes but at last will punish Isa. 42. 14. 65. 6. and here in the Text. Cause his Fury Anger Indignation Wrath. Fury is an anger never at rest till it has taken revenge To Rest to Abide Fury has come and gone judgments have come and gone have been sent and called back again laid on and taken off for a considerable time but at last they shall rest Upon a people though professing and called by the name of the Lord though known and formerly saved by the Lord. That will not I say will not because the Highest does so often lay the blame there Jer. 6. 16. Their will was against purging they loved their filthiness They loved to wander Jer. 14 10. 5. 31. 11. 15. When thou doest evil then thou rejoycest See Jer. 18. 12. Be purged from their filthiness By any means whether fair or foul whether Warnings Exhortations Counsells Threats Reproofs Sabbaths Sacrifices Mercies Judgments Whose Filth Scum Rust remains Their Filth notwithstanding all the Floods they have been in Their Sâ—um and Dross notwithstanding all the Fires they have been in Their Rust notwithstanding all the Filings they have had I might heap Scriptures for proof hereof but I shall confine my self to this Prophet Ezâ—k 5. 13. 9. 8 9 10. 16. 42 43. 21. 17. You may read Deut. 29. 20. 2 Chron. 36. 15 with 17. Jer. 7. 20. 11. 14 13. 14. 14. 12. 18. 11 12.
the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy 2. Rea. Because he is so sutable to our condition therefore is his presence so much to be desired We are in misery we are unworthy we are weak and yet provoking And doth God suit with such with such as are in misery yes for he is merciful and with such as are unworthy yes for he is gracious and with the weak yes for he is strong Doth he suit with such as are provoking too yes for he is long suffering and with backsliderâ— yes for he is a God that healeth backslidings And doth he suit with such as have neither money nor price yes He will love them freely Surely mercy and misery do well agree and so doth graciousness and unworthiness strength and weakness Now hence it is because no person or thing in all the World suits so well with our condition as God doth that his presence is so much to be desired and prayed for 3. Rea. Because God is so useful for us therefore his presence is so much to be desired VVhat say you to a portion is not that of use VVhat say you to an Inheritance is not that of use VVhat say you to the Light is not that of use VVhat say you to a shield in Battel is not that of use VVhat say you to a shelter in a Storm 〈◊〉 not that of use VVhat say you to a Refuge a Rock a Tower when you are pursued is not that of use God is all this The Lord is my Portion saith my soul Lam. 3. 24. The Lora is their Inheritance Ezek. 44. 28. Psal. 16. 5. The Lord is my Light Psal. 27. 1. The Lord is a Sun and a Shield Psal. 84. 11. The God of Jacob is ouâ— Refuge Psal. 46. 11. The Lord is my Rock my fortress and my deliverer my God my Strength in whom I will trust my Buckler the horn of my salvation and my high Tower Psal. 18. 2. Now no wonder the presence of God is so desirable because he is so excellent and so sutable a good and so useful for us 4. Rea. Because God is so lasting a good There are many things that may 〈◊〉 well with us and be very useful to us but they may be of little continuance they may he short lived Husbands Wives whom God hath so suited that none could possibly be suited better must part Husbands do not live for ever with their Wives and Parents do not live for ever with their Children nor one friend with another But God is a lasting good The everlasti 〈…〉 g God Isa. 40. 28. Hast thou not known hast thou not heard 〈…〉 at the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the eâ—ds of the Earth fainteth not neither is weary 5. Reas. Because all other good will do us no good without him The Creature nay all the Creatures are but Cyphers without him The Creature is not Bread you mistake if you think so why do you spend money for that which is not Bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not â—sa 55. 2. The Creatures name is vanity vanity of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities all is vanity Eccles. 1. 2. The 〈…〉 is a thing of nought Amos. 6. 13 〈…〉 It is not Prov. 23. 5. Wilt thou 〈…〉 thine eyes upon that which is not Sirs how many things is there that have been in your possession of which you must now say they are not My VVife is not my Husband is not my Father is not my Mother is not But will it ever be said God is not Christ is not The Holy Spirit is not No no. Hence 't is also that the presence of God is so much to be desired above all other things because all other things will do us no good without him Jehosaphat a Prince a potent Prince whose Militia was Eleven hundred and threescore thousand besides what he had in Garrisons 2 Chron. 17. 12 c. 'T is said he waxed great exceedingly yet sayes he 2 Chron. 20. 12. We have no might neither know we what to do but our eyes are unto thee This he speaks in reference to God without whom indeed they had no might at all He looked upon all the Forces he had as nothing without God And so are Riches and so are Relations Alas they are nothing without God Reas. 6 Because God alone is enough he is enough without any thing else God needs not the Creature to supply us to support us to refresh revive and comfort us He needs not the Creature to direct or counsel us It pleaseth him to make use of the Creature and to afford it most times but if he deny it he can do it without the Creature It was an excellent saying of that Martyr If you take away my food God will t 〈…〉 e away my hunger Truly Sirs God hath made a little serve the turn many times when others with their much have been in want In the midst of their sufficiency they have been in straights Job 20. 22. Remember that of Habakkuk I wish the same frame of heart to you that he had Habak 3. 17 18. Although the figâ—ree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vines the labor of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the slock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no heard in the stalls How then would he be able to live yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation When there is no meat in the fields or stalls there is yet a God in Heaven and he knows how 't is with us and that we have need of these things Matth. 6. 32. and if the Father know that his child wants bread he shall not want it long if his Father be able to relieve him what ever you want if you want not faith it will be well enough O for the skill of living by faith It is nothing with thee to help sayes Asa in his prayer to God whether with many or with them that have no power 2 Chron. 14. 11. God with us is more then all besides 2 Chron. 32. 7 8. I come now to the Application If the Gracious presence of God be so grea a priviledge and therefore so much to be desired Then hence be Informed 1. Happy are they that have God graciously present with them Take your Bible and read Deut. 4. 7. 33. 29. 2 Sam. 7. 23. Lev. 26. 11 12. Happy the Congregations and Habitations that have this Name The Lord is there Ezek. 48. 35. and that may be called the Throne of God Jer. 3. 17. This is matter of rejoycing Sing and rejoyce O daughters of Zion for lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord Zech. 2. 10 11. See also Rev. 21. 3. 2. Miserable are they with whom God is not that want his gracious