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
The Royal Presence OR GODS Tabernacle with MEN IN A FAREWELL SERMON Preached the 17. of August 1662. at Beere Regis in the County of Dorset By that painfull and faithfull Minister of the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST Mr. PHILIP LAMBE And committed to publick view for the Instruction Support and comfort of others Isa 30.20 Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy Teachers John 10.27 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me 2 Epist John ver 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son 1 John 2.5 Whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the Love of God perfected LONDON Printed in the Year 1662. To the Reader Courteous Reader WEe the Inhabitants of Beere and Kingstone in the County of Dorset who have lived under the Rich Droppings Plentiful Soul-searching Enlivening and Refreshing Dews of Heaven which HE who promised to be as the Dew unto Israel Hos 14.5 hath conveyed to us by one of his Eminent and Faithful Messengers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ thâ—… for many years amongst us hath endeavoured as the Apostle speaks of himself to be pure from the blood of all men and to declare All and Onely the Counsels of God Acts 20.26,27 And was instant in Season and out of Season diligent in the work of the Lord according as the same Apostle doth strictly exhort unto taking heed to himself and to the flock over the which the Holy Ghost made him Overseer See 2 Tim. 4.1,2 And of whom we can truly say and to which many can bear witnesse that he was and is an example of the Believers in Word in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity 1 Tim. 4.12 His Life and Conversation adorns his Profession and Doctrine And having received much Benefit and Comfort by his Ministry have endeavoured to Communicate to thee some of those Spiritual advantages and Consolations we have enjoyed through the Blessing of God upon his diligent and faithful Labours in his last publick Exercise which he deliverod amongst us Wishing the like Benefit and Comfort to thee and more also than we have had Because of our Non-improvement of such choice Mercies and rich Priviledges which we have sufficient cause to be Humbled for And continually to lament that we are now deprived of them by his removal from us And had this following discourse been set sorth to publick view by the Author himself whose Modesty would conceal his worthy Labours It would have been more large and perfect and so render'd more acceptable We must therefore desire thee Christian Reader with a charitable Censure to cover over verbal or literal mistakes and in Love to Correct with thy pen what may be found amisse by thee in this following Treatise wherein are contained Things of the most weighty concernment and which are Exceeding useful at all time for Edification and Instruction to All and will Administer matter of sufficient Comfort under any Condition to them that have the Special Abode of God and Christ with them The Lord Jesus Christ by his Spirit lead thee into all Truth So Prayes Thine in Christ VINCENTI DABITUR The Royal Presence OR Gods Tabernacle with Men. JOHN XIV XXIII Jesus answered and said unto him If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our Abode with him THE Departure of Jesus Christ unto his Father from whose bosome he came into the World was very sadly resented by his Disciples whose mixt passions produce a very great disturbance and trouble upon their Spirits The inward Anxiety and unconcealed grief of the Disciples move the Bowels of their more affectionate Lord to pitty their case and provide for their relief and gives them instructions how to expresse their love unto him in his absence not so much in carrying bluber'd eyes and heavy hearts as by remembring and observing the Councels and Instructions that he had give to them while he was present with them So that this whole Chapter is fill'd up with Counsels and Comforts Directions and Consolations First Directions and Counsels especially in the 1 13 15. verses 1 Faith First To the exercise of Faith verse 1. Ye believe in God believe also in me And this is the life even a life of Faith which we must live till we come to enjoyment of Christ by which we fetch comforts in all troubles and strength against all tentations from Jesus Christ 2. Prayer Secondly To the duty of Prayer vers 13. which is the proper duty of an afflicted State as Jam. 5.13 Is any afflicted let hiâ— pray By prayer the Soul empties his complaints into Gods bosome and finds ease by telling him of all the trouble and grief that attends his state Prayer hath that Divine excellency that like a Heavenly Charm it speaks away trouble and speaks in comfort as 't is said of Hannah 1 Sam. 1.18 She prayed and went away and did eat and her Countenance was no more sad And thus our prayers alwayes speed when they be made by the help of the Spirit and offered up to God in the name of Christ 13 14. verses Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name that you shall receive 3. Obedience Thirdly To Obedience in the 15 vers to do the work committed to them If yee love me keep my Commandements You cannot better expresse your love to me then in keeping my words Nor is there a more certain way for men to find comfort than this 3 Prâ— 17. by keeping his Commands for then though they cannot enjoy his person yet they shall not misse his promise Secondly The Consolations which he gives them in the 2 vers c. the 16 vers c. and 23 vers c. 1. The place to which he goes First In the 2 3 4 verses c. From the place whether he was going To his Father and their Father his Home and their Home whence he did intend to come again to them So that his going from them was but a Recesse or withdrawing for a time untill he came for in the 3 vers I will come again and receive you to my self rendred in the Greek a Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the presentense I come again in the presentense to intimate the certainty of his coming to them again as if he were already come which in the 28 vers of this Chapter Christ tells them should be matter of great Joy to them If yee loved me yee would rejoyce because I said I go unto the Father The promise of his Spirit the Comforter Secondly From the 16 v. The promise of the Spirit which shall supply his
is for men to refuse the presence of God Was there ever wickedness like this that the great God should be as an unbidden guest with his own creatures and have no better entertainment than Christ with the Gaderens who besought him to depart out of their Coast yea which is far worse rejected as Christ was by the possessed in the Gospel Mat. 8.29 What have we to do with thee art thou come to torment us before the time Secondly Consider it will be a very terrible day when God and Christ depart from such persons God threatens it as a sore judgement upon Jerusalem Jer. 6.8 Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my Soul depart from thee When God departs in comes all Judgements for it follows in the Text Lest I make thee desolate Desolation comes as soon as God is gone yea saies the Lord Hos 9.12 Woe to them when I depart from them And though he depart from such by removing his Counsells Gospel and Ordinances He will still be with them in judgement when he is far from their Affections he will be nigh to their Consciences then he will shew his terrour and his wrath and then they shall find that as there is not a sweeter promise than this I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so not a more terrible judgement than this I will not love thee nor abide with thee Thirdly Use of Lamentation Let us lament our selves who have had God and Christ making their abode with us for many years in their special Providence Gospel Ordinances c. Yet we have not improved so glorious a Presence so rich a mercy especially we have cause to lament this four-fold neglect First That we have so little acquainted our selves with God and Christ so little prized and observed their Presence with us that we have learn'd no more of God and Christ but are yet strangers to them so that Jesus Christ may say to us as in Joh. 14.9 Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip so he may say to us Have I been so long time with you in my Providences Ordinances and by my Spirit and yet have you not known my Goodness my Faithfulness my Name my Laws and Ordinances Sure it is with most of us as with Jacob Gen. 28.15.16 The Lord was with him and he was in his Dream and when he awaked he said Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not So God hath been with us but we have been in a dream or in a sleep all this while but when God shall awaken us we shall say with him God was in this place and we knew it not Secondly We may lament our selves that we have so little conformed to God and Christ God hath been with us but we have refused his company as Ephe. 2.12 And had our conversation as without God and without Christ in the world O when God and Christ shall depart from us it will be a heart-breaking to us and we shall dearly repent the least miscarriages Thirdly We may lament that we have not lived more upon God and Christ to trust in them and depend upon them for life and Salvation and made him our Counsellour Guide and Strength and lived upon his All-sufficiency we have not made them our Sanctuary our Treasury our Happiness though they have been with us in whom are all things Yet have we lived at so poor a rate as to our spiritual comforts as if we had been under the Hypocrit's Curse Job 20.22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he is in straits Or guilty of that vanity mentioned in Eccle. 6.2 To have Riches and Honours c. and not a heart to use them To have a God and Christ in whom are all Riches and Honours and have had no Faith to use them for our comfort we have even starved our selves at the fullest Table and Spring-head of plenty Fourthly We may lament our selves that we have not taken more pleasure in the enjoyment of God and Christ in the Gospel and Gospel Ordinances accounting all Company and delights solitarinesse in comparison of the joy and comfort that is in the abode of God and Christ especially when God expects we should rejoyce in him and hath promised to abode with such Isai 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh Righteousnesse and remembreth thee in thy wayes Use 2 Two Uses of Exhortation 1. To get the Presence of God and Christ with us 2. To endeavour to keep God and Christ abiding with us The first Use of Exhortation Let us be Exhorted above all desires to desire Gods presence and above all getting Get God and Christ to make their abode with you O with what Ardency and heat of desire doth David expresse himself Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple and so in Psal 42.1,2 As the Hart pants after the water brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God My Soul thirsteth for God when shall I come and appear before God O when wilt thou come unto me and in a multitude of such like Pathetick breathings after God And that we may the more earnestly desire this mercy the abode of God and Christ with us Consider three particulars First Consider the presence of God and Christ is the special favour and honour that God bestows only upon his own people By this was Israel distinguished from all the world Exod. 33.16 My presence shall go with thee and in the last verse of the last Chapter of Ezekiel It is the Church only that is call'd Jehovah Shammah The Lord is there her Founder Preserver and Governour Secondly Consider that they that have God and Christ with them dwell continually at the Fountain Head of Consolations as David sayes Psal 23. I shall want nothing The Lord is my shepheard My Cup runs over Surely Goodnesse and Mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life This Fountain keeps our Cisternes full our Channels run shallow sometimes but never are they dryed up Hos 14.5 I will be as the Dew unto Israel He shall grow as the Lillie and cast forth his roots as Lebanon they shall grow up as the Lillie beautiful and fair and as the Cedar well rooted and established He that hath the Sun hath Light He that hath the Well must needs have Water Ille possidet omnia qui possidet possidentem omnia He hath all things who hath him from whom all things come Thirdly Consider that when all Comforts leave us God will not when Friends forsake and Riches profit not in the evil day God is a present help in time of trouble and loves to shew himself in Dubiis Arduis in the greatest difficulties and on the Mount of straits Jesus Christ sayes truly to us what Peter said rashly to
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
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
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