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
fury shall rest upon you And God will watch to bring it upon you Jer. 44. 27. Behold I will watch over them for evil and not for good as one that purposly watcheth and lieth in wait to do mischief Psal. 56 6. God has been wo 〈…〉 when provoked to watch over people to pluck up and break down Jer. 31. 28. And Daniel chap. 9. 13 14 confesses that because God had p 〈…〉 shed them and they had not made their prayer before the Lord their God that they might â—urn from their iniquities and understand the truth therefore the Lord 〈◊〉 watched upon the evil and brought it upon them And he gives the reason For the Lord our God is righteous in all his works for we obeyed not his voice Use 2. If all this be so then consider we our selves Are we purged from our filthiness Is England Is London Are we Is our sâ—um gone out Our rust gotten off Our filth done away Our dross separated from us Our chaffe scattered and burnt 2. Let me ask you a few Questions 1. Have you been conâ—inced of your natural and contracted filthiness Siâ—s were you clean born shaped in holiness Read Ioh 14. 4. Psal. 51. 5. and see whether you were or no. Have you lived wiâ—hout defiling your selves See Psal. 14. 3. Mark 7. 23. What were your Hearts and Hands If you cannot tell See Jer. 4. 14. Jam. 〈◊〉 8. Mark 7. 21 22 23. What were your Heads Ears Eyes and Tongues If you be ignorant s 〈…〉 John 13. 9. Act. 7. 51. Jer. 6. 10. 2 Peâ— 2. 14. Matth. 5. 28. James 3. 6. Ephes 4. 29. I fear many are not yet convinced of their filthiness and if so sure not yet purged from it Some will not believe that to be filthiness which Ged sayes is so All that is in the world is either the lust of the eye c. 1 John 2. 16 and these are not of the pure and holy God but of the dirty sinful world which lies in wickedness 1. The lust of the Eye covetousness which you call by another name viz. Good Huâ—bandry is â—â—lthineâ—s 1 Peter 〈◊〉 2. 2. The lust of the Flesh rioâ—ing drunkenn 〈…〉 chambering wantonness which you call Good Fellowship Courtship Courteousness This is filthiness but you â—o not know it or will not know it for your better information see 1 Thes. 4. 7. Ephes. 5. 3 4. Roâ— 13. 13. 3. Pride of Life this also is filthiness though you call it fineness neatness â—omliness But see what God calls it Isa. 4. 4. He calls it filth ordure or excrements the word imports all all such filth or excrement as comeâ— forth from the body either upward as Isa. 28. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 22. or downward as Deut. 23. 14. Ezek 4. 12. The filth of the Daughters of Zion whose pride vanity wantonness and other excesses had no small hand in pulling down Gods judgments See Isa. 3. 16 17. had it been the Daughters of Moab Numb 25. 1. or the Daughters of the Philistines Judg. 14. 1 2. that had been so filthy it would not have provoked so much their filth would not have stunk so bad nor have been so loathsom in the sight of God But for the Daughters of Zion and the Daughters of Jerusalem and the Daughters of Israel and Judah of Professors to be so filthily proud provoked greatly Had it been only the Daughters of men Gen. 6. 2. or the Daughters of a strange god Mal. 2. 11. or the Daughters of the uncircumcised 2 San. 1. 20. it had not been so much but for the Daughters of God Deut 32. 19. to go thus and do thus and 〈◊〉 thus he could not bear it Their gates and garbs and courses and carriages that they prided themselves in and accounted their bravery Isa. 3. 18. were filth and such as made them odious loathsom and abominable in Gods eye saith one whose Judgment I think is not to be contemned â—ataker in loc And see saith he the contrary required 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. So that I believe that which you call fineness now will be found to be filthiness another day that which you call 〈…〉 nery will be found to be filâ—hery Those fine Heads Fine Faces Fine Necks Fine Back and Breast Fine Armes and Shoulders Will be found I believe to be Filthy Heads Faces Necks Backs and Breasts Armes and Shoulders Wherefore let me be speak you as Daniel did Nâ—buchadnezar Dan. 4. 27. Wherefore O fine Dames let my counsel be acceptable to you Break off your pride by humility and your shamelesness by shamefastness And get ye quickly to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness Zech. 13. 1. and wash your selves Say to Christ as Peter when Christ told him If he washt not his feet he should have no part in me O Lord said he not my feet onely but my hands and head also You have need to say not my feet onely but my face neck back breast armes and shoulders also Quest. 2. Has the Word the pure Word of God so called Psal. 12. 6. Psalm 119. 140. been instrumental in your purging Psal. 119. 9. Psal. 17. 4. Joh. 17. 17. Quest. 3. Has time been spent about it Have you had your washing scowring and purging days for your Souls as you-have had for the cleaning of your Cloathes Brass and Pewâ—er and for preservation of the health of your Bodies Some wash their Linnen once a month and scowr their Vessels once a quarter and purge their Bodies Spring and Fall Deal truly what time have you set a part for the washing and purging of your Heads Hearts and Hands Have you your monthly quarterly and half-yearly washing and purging dayes for your Souls Will not Linnen Brass and Pewter Vessels be made clean nor Bodies be purged without allowing time And will Hearts and Souls be purged from their filthiness without allowing time Quest. 4. Has pains been taken about it Has this purging of your selves cost you Prayers and Tears before 't was done That which is foul will not be made clean without pains-taking Naaman was at the pains of taking a long journey to be cleansed from his Leprosie 2 King 5. Quest. 5. Have you made your applicaâ—ion to Christ about your cleansing and purging as once Naaman did to the Prophet 2 King 5. 1. Naaman knew himself to be a Leper 2. Naaman hearing of a Prophet that could cure him comes to him 2 King 5. 3 9. to his door 3. Receives direction what to do for his Cure and though averse at first to use that means yet upon his servants entreaties resolves to make trial of the means 2 King 5. 13 14. 4. He does and practices accordingly goes down into the River and dips himself seven times therein 2 King 5. 14. 5. He returns being Cured to shew his thankfulness 2 King 5. 15. and to testifie his great respect to the Prophet as the instrument of his Cure as did the tenth Leper Luke 17. 15. 6.
derided by them about you Psal. 44. 13. Tears may be given you to drink in great measure Psal. 80. 5. Vile accounted c. Lam. 3. 45. Even as a scum 1 Cor. 4. 13. Wild beasts and boars out of the wood may waste you c. Psal. 80. 13. Seeing this is so will you take the course prescribed that if possible none of these things may come upon you or if they should that your eternal estate may be secured First What can you object against it 1. Is it not the course that God hath prescribed That it is has been proved before therefore you can't object 't is not required you cannot say Who hath required this for you have heard that God does 2. Is there any unreasonableness or unrighteousness in the prescribing of it Can you object against it as being unreasonable and unrighteous nay is it not most reasonable and righteous that having sinned and provoked God you should consider confess humble c. 3. Is it not that course that others with success have used as Nineveh and 2 Chron. 12. 7 12. Can you object and say others have taken this course to no purpose Ahabs external humiliation was not without some success The judgment was deferred upon it 1 King 21. 29. 4. Have not others perished for want of taking this course See 2 Chron. 36. 12. of Zedâ—kiâ— to 18. Dan. 5. 22 to 29. of Belâ—hazar Can you now object and say others have neglected this course and done well enough Thus you see you cannot object against this course Secondly Can you think of a better a safer course Can you or you or you c. speak if you can by your silence I take it for granted that you cannot Thirdly If you cannot are you resolved upon this To consider confess c. Fourthly If you be not resolved on this course as yet must I dismiss you unresolved and desperate as they Jer. 44. will you say as they ver 16. 18. 12. FINIS GODS Gracious Presence THE SAINTS Great Priviledge 2 Thes. 3. 16. Now the Lord of Peace himself give you Peace alwayes by all means The Lord be with you all YOU have Peace Blessed be God long may it last it is not like to be long-lived unless God work wonderfully Application therefore should be made to him that he who is the God of Peace would be pleased to give it alwayes and by all means The close of the Verse is that which I intend to say something unto as the Lord shall enable me The Lord be with you All. This is Pauls Valediction to the Thessalonians and shall be mine to you In this Valediction you have 1. Pauls wish and desire the Lord be with you 2. The extent of it The Lord be with you All. He leaves out none of them he wisheth well to them all and that which he wisheth is the Presence of the Lord with them All their welfare standing therein The Lord God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost we must not leave out any of the Three for we cannot be without the Presence of any one of them nor can you have the Presence of the one without the Presence of the other for these three are one and where One is All are Of the Fathers and of the Sons and of the Holy Ghosts coming to be with his People You read Joh. 14. Jesus said 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 O for faith to believe this that the Father and the Son will come and make their abode with such Whosoever goes from you you may be sure the Father and Son will come if you love him and keep his words See verse 23. And for the coming of the Holy Ghost See Joh. 15. 16. I will pray the Father saith Christ Here 's a praying friend and praying friends we use to say are our best friends and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth verse 17. That he may abide with you for ever mark that when he comes he will not be like a wayfaring man that comes for a night and then is gon but he will abide for ever when I came down from Heaven I came with a purpose to return again when I had done my work here but this Comforter my Spirit shall abide with you for ever Well then the Lord be with you the Father Son and Holy Spirit be with you the eternal Jehovah who hath his being of himself and gives being to all things else even the being of performance to his promises This Lord be with you Be with your whole man This Lord be with your Bodies This Lord be with your Souls This Lord be with every part of your Bodies and with every Power of your Souls The Apostle in his former epistle praying for these Thessalonians 1 Thes. 5. 23. Prayes thus The very God of Peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit and Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. So then the Apostle would have the Lord â—o be with their whole man not with a part of it not with their Souls and Spirits only or Bodies only but with their Spirit Soul and Body and the same Apostle praying for Timothy prayes The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy Spirit 2 Tim. 4. 22. It matters not who are absent so Christ be present his presence is more then the presence of the nearest and dearest relations The Lord be with you all not only with a part of you I know not which of you to leave out of my Prayers For you all have need of Gods presence whether you be Saints or Sinners If Sinners you have need of the Lord to be with you to convince you and convert you And as for those that are Saints I know none that have so much grace that they need no more the Lord therefore be with them to establish confirm and encrease grace in them the Lord be with you at all times If God be absent at any time we know not what to do Some of you have had experience that when God hath withdrawn never so little your case hath been bad enough The Lord be with you in all places We can be secure and safe in no place without his presence The Lord be with you in all conditions in all estates for if you be in the most prosperous estate you cannot tell how to be without God Jehosaphat thought so 2. Chron. 20. 12. In the fulness of a mans sufficiency he may be in straights Job 20. 22. You cannot be any where in any estate a minute without him You believe it to be a Truth that in him you live move and have your being Act. 17. 28. not naturally only but spiritually too The Lord therefore be with you at all times in all conditions