Heaven Upon Earth, Sermon · Direction 5
V. DIRECTION.
If you would be acquainted with God, come much where he is wont to be, frequent his houſe, lye always at the Doors of Wiſdom, engage much in his Ordinances. This was that courſe that David took when he wanted Gods company, away he goes to the houſe of God; and, O what earneſtneſs doth he uſe when the doors of the Lords Tabernacle were ſhut, to get them open again? what moan doth he make when he was for ſome time ſequeſtred by his enemies, from the enjoyment of God in his publick Ordinances? As the Hart pants after the water-brooks, ſo did his ſoul pant after God, the living God. O when ſhould he appear before him? when ſhould he again behold the out-goings of God in his Sanctury, as ſometimes he had? How amiable are thy tabernacles, ſaith he, O Lord God of Hoſts! And one thing have I deſired, and that will I ſeek after, that I may dwell in thy houſe, and ſee thee, and enquire in thy tabernacle, Pſal. 42. Pſal. 48. Pſal. 27.4. He thought God was like to be found no where ſo ſoon as at his own houſe; he was ſure he was never from home. David can never forget what uſage, and entertainment he was wont to have there, and that this great Friend was uſed to have a ſtanding Table, an open Houſe, and that when his Gueſts were ſet, he would come and bid them welcome; eat O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly O beloved. See therefore that you get into that part of Gods houſe where he doth moſt frequently come, get under the moſt powerful Miniſtery; O hear the Word with all the Reverence, Attention, and affection that you can for your ſoul; miſs not any opportunities that God puts into your hand, leaſt that ſhould be the time in which you might have met with God; Lye at the pool of Betheſda, and wait for the moving of the Waters; ſet your ſelves as in the houſe of God, and remember, though you ſee not God, that he is always preſent in all places, but he is there more eſpecially preſent where his people meet together to attend upon him in his own Ordinances? Wherefore when you come to hear the Word, ſet your ſelf as in the preſence of God, and hear as for your life and ſoul, Deut. 32.46. Set your hearts to all the words that you ſhall hear; for it is not a vain thing, it is your life, Iſa. 55, 2, 3. Hearken diligently unto me, and cat ye that which is good, and let your ſoul delight it ſelf in fatneſs. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your ſoul ſhall live; and I will make an everlaſting Covenant with you, even the ſure mercies of David, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the mighty Jehovah is ſpeaking to his ſoul. Wherefore I ſay it again, ſet your ſelf as in the very immediate preſence of God; and when you hear a word that you are very nearly concerned in, put up ſuch a ſhort Ejaculation as this. Now Lord, ſtrike this hard heart of mine; now Lord come in I beſeech thee; O that this word might be the key which might open my heart for the King of Glory to come in! O command thy loving kindneſs this day to break into my ſoul! O that this might be the day in which Salvation might come unto my houſe! O that this might be the man that might be my Spiritual Father, that this might be the Meſſenger one among a thouſand, that may bring me good tidings! O that this might be the ſentence, that this might be the hour of Love! O that this might be the day that I may have in everlaſting remembrance! O that I might preſently without any more delay, ſet out for Canaan! Cry out with as much earneſtneſs as that poor man did, who brought his poſſeſſed child before Chriſt; O Lord I have brought my unbeliving heart before thee to cure, it expoſes me a thouſand times to unſpeakable hazards; but Lord, if thou wilt but ſpeak the word, it ſhall be diſpoſſeſſed: I would believe, Lord help my unbelief. I have brought my hard heart before thee, Lord ſoften it, and let me not go from time to time with theſe dreadful diſeaſes hanging about me, to infect, and undoe my ſelf and others. O melt me, O Lord, melt me, and let me have ſuch a look from thee, as Peter once had, which made him to go out and weep bitterly. But I ſhall ſpeak a little more of this nature under another Direction.