Thirty-One Select Sermons, Sermon collection · Sermon 11
God with Ʋs, whilſt We are with Him.
At a publick Faſt before the Parliament. Iune 9. 1652.
2 Chron. 15.2.
But if ye forſake Him, He will alſo forſake you.
THe Lord having rent the kingdom from Rehoboam, according unto the vvord that he had ſpoken, and left him only tvvo Tribes, that his ſervant David might have alvvays a light before the Lord in Ieruſalem; this remainder of the kingdom did he ſeek to eſtabliſh & to ſtrengthen himſelf in: but as Luther obſerves, qui regit, ſignum eſt in quod Satan omnia jacula dirigit: therefore as he doth of men, endeavour to corrupt the firſt, the prime of their yeers; ſo he doth alſo to Magiſtrates, the prime of their Government, that he may lay corruption in the foundation, and therefore he forſook the Law of the Lord, ch. 12.1. and men in Authority ſin not alone, principum delicta ſunt plano diabolica.—they have many that fall with them: therefore it is ſaid, that he did not only forſake the Law of the Lord; but all I ſrael with him: having thus departed from the Lord, they now betake themſelves unto other Laws, having choſen unto themſelves other Gods; for they forſake God, that forſake his Law; and they build high places, and Images, and groves upon every high hill, and under every green tree, and there were Sodomites in the land alſo, who did according unto all the abominations of the Nations, permittente Rehoboam: ſo alſo he did give them a toleration: its true that he did not ſet them up by authority, but he did connive at them, and let them alone: he did not look upon it as his duty to uſe his Authority, and turn the edge of it againſt them; but there was ſomething elſe in it, for it was done nomine & praetextu religionis, Pet. Mart. it being the way that the heathens did worſhip their Gods, and who ſhall limit the Conſciences of men? that way of worſhip which they ſhall think fit that they are to uſe, and who ſhall controll them? and ſo ſet themſelves in the place of God: if men, as Sodomites or Ranters, will worſhip God, who hath power to gainſay them? for uncleanneſs in opinion will ſoon bring in uncleanneſs in converſation: and Abijam ſucceeded his father in all theſe abominations, for he walked in all the ſins of his father, that he had done before him; as Rehoboam did in the abominations of the heathens, which the Lord had caſt out before them: for men may be the ſons of thoſe per imitationem, to whom by generation they have no relation: and they that caſt others out of authority, and yet be their ſucceſſors in the ſame abominations, they are in Gods account their ſons, though their poſterity be diſinherited by them: and this was the ſtate and condition of the kingdom when Aſa came to the Crown; and he being a gracious man, did turn from all the abominations of his fathers; and the land having peace for the firſt ten years of his reign, he ſpent that whole time in reformation: in reforming the corruptions of Religion, and thought himſelf as a Magiſtrate ſo highly concerned in it, that he uſed his power to take away the Altars of the ſtrange Gods, &c. and his Authority was not onelyonly deſtructive, as ſome would allow the Magiſtrates to deſtroy what they will, ſo they build nothing; but it was aſtrictive alſo, for he commanded Iacob to ſeek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do his Law and his commandments. This glorious work of Reformation being begun, & for about ten years carryed on (never was any great work ſo begun in this world, but mighty mountains of oppoſition have been raiſed againſt it): nowhere is an Army of Ethiopians raiſed againſt him, the greateſt that we read of in any ſtory, of a thouſand thouſand; chap. 14.9and though it may be it was not their direct aym to hinder the work of Reformation, yet this (doubtleſs) was Satans aym in ſtirring them up: for as the aym of the good Angels is beyond that of the Inſtruments, which many times they uſe, Dan 10. laſt, and when I am gone forth, lo, the Prince of Graecia ſhall come, He ſhall fight with the Prince of Perſia; but is over-ruled therein to another end then himſelf intended; So is the aym of the evil Angels alſo; but the Lord who delights in Reformation, and loves to ſee Temple-work go on, will not ſuffer this good work to periſh under ſo great an oppoſition; and therefore this mighty Army ſhall not ſtand before a Reforming Prince, and a praying people, but they were all ſmitten before the men of Iudah, and they returned home to Ieruſalem laden with the ſpoil in great abundance. At this time the Lord ſtirred up the ſpirit of Azariah the ſon of Obed, who went forth to meet them, he preached this Sermon unto the King, and unto the victorious Army: and he ſaith, hear me O Aſa, and all Iudah and Benjamin. Gods Meſſengers may require audience and obedience in the Name of God, from the greateſt men upon earth: and that, when they were in the height of their proſperity and glory: for the Lord hath exalted his word over Nations and kingdoms, to root out, and to deſtroy, and to build, and to plant; and it is not the leaſt charge given againſt Zedechiah, that he humbled not himſelf before Ieremiah, the Prophet ſpeaking from the mouth of the Lord: for though the men dye, yet their words wil live: and it will aſuredly overtake men, though they may ſeem for a while to eſcape it; Zach. 1.6. Did not my words take hold of the fathers? the ſum of the Prophets Sermon is here laid down in three Doctrinal Propoſitions.
Firſt, That the Lord is with You, whilſt you are with Him.
Secondly, If you ſeek Him, He will be found of you.
Thirdly, If you forſake Him, He will forſake you.
Here is a Doctrinal Propoſition, with a particular Application; the Propoſition is this, That they that do forſake God ſhall be forſaken of God. 2 The Application is, that if ye forſake God, he will alſo forſake you, that he hath ſo gloriouſly delivered, and for whom he hath ſo eminently appeared, riding upon the heavens, and his excellency on the skye, yet if he will turn his hand and conſume you after he has done you good; this is …o periſh with a double deſtruction: as, for a man to dye after he hath had ſome quickning works upon him, is to be twice dead: ſo, for a man or a people to periſh or be deſtroyed after the Lord hath done them good, and ſeemed to rejoyce over them, this is to periſh with a double deſtruction.
For the opening of this Doctrine, there are four things in the Text, which are to be conſidered. Firſt we ſee, that the deſertion of a people never begins in God; the Lord doth not forſake them, till they forſake him. There are two ſorts of acts that God exerciſes over men; ſome Actus dominii, acts of ſoveraignty: Secondly, Actus juſtitiae: the one reſpects men as creatures, the other reſpects men as ſinners.
Preterition, is an act of ſoveraignty, and that begins in God: but deſertion is an act of Juſtice; and therefore muſt begin in us: for the cauſe of all puniſhment, the meritorious cauſe, is to be found in the creature; and doth begin in us, and not in him. Its true, that all acts of mercy do begin in God; and they have no ground in the creature: he loves us firſt, he ſhews mercy freely, and what ever he doth it is for his own ſake, there is nothing in the creature that procures it. The riſe and foundation of mercy is in himſelf; but acts of Juſtice have their riſe from us: for he doth in all judgements cleer this unto the creature, that he doth not without cauſe any thing that he hath done: and the Lord ſaith of all judgements, haſt thou not procured it to thy ſelf? is not this the wages that you have wrought, and laboured for? is not this the harveſt which anſwers the ſeed that you have ſowen? for they that ſow to the fleſh, ſhall of the fleſh reap corruption, &c. So that the Lord doth never reject us till we reject him; he doth never forſake us till we forſake him, Rom. 6.23. the wages of ſin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life: but acts of grace begin in God, and they are meer gifts, but all acts of Juſtice begin in us, and are but the fruits of our own deſervings: he rejects us becauſe we reject him firſt, &c. Secondly it may be ſuppoſed that they that have had the Lord much with them, and have had great and eminent experience of his preſence going with them, yet they may forſake the Lord and depart from him; Iſrael did ſo, they forgat God their ſaviour who had done great things for them in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red ſea, as Pſal. 10.6,21,22. and they that forget God will quickly forſake God: a people may ariſe unto that fooliſh confidence in their own preſent condition, that they may ſay, Ier. 2.31. We are Lords, we will come no more at thee: a ſtrange expreſſion! and they may walk towards God, as if they were put into ſuch an eſtate, that they ſhould now need God no more; but that they could live without him: we have now no more need of faſting and praying; days of humiliation may now be intermitted, for not onelyonly months, but yeers together. What is this but for a people to ſay. We are Lords, we will come no more at thee; we have not now the ſame need of God that we had in times paſt: 2 Chron. 26.15. Vzziah was marvellouſly helped till he was ſtrong: but when he was ſtrong, his heart was lifted up unto his own deſtruction, Iſa. 29.1. there is a woe for Ariel, the City where David dwelt, which Mr. Calvin renders, the Altar of God, becauſe the Sacrifices and Ordinances of God were there; but others, (and ſo in the Margent it is rendred,) the Lyon of God, quia tanquam Leo Gentes alienas ſubjugaſſet:—None could ſtand before them;—There is a wo for them, becauſe they had in the greatneſs of their ſtrength and power, and victories, forſaken the Lord; and therefore the Lord ſaith he would bring diſtreſſes upon them, that he had formerly been with, and they had conquered by his power and preſence: and they that in their pride did ſpeak loftily as if they had ſpoken from Heaven, the Lord ſaith they ſhould be brought down to the ground, and their ſpeech ſhould be low as out of the duſt.
Thirdly, Former duties, nor former mercies ſhall not ſerve men, but if they do forſake the Lord, they ſhall be forſaken of him: firſt former duties will not ſecure men: here is a gracious Prince that had laboured ten yeers in the Reformation of Religion, and that with great ſucceſs, and had met with great oppoſition, and yet with reſolution gone through all, yet the Lord tells them, that for all this, if after this they did forſake the Lord, he would forſake them. There was in the days of Joſiah, the moſt glorious Reformation of Religion, that ever we read of in Iudah, he was ſuch a King as like unto him was none before him, nor after him ſhould ariſe the like: the people entring into a ſolemn Covenant before God, that they would be the Lords people; and the Reformation went farther, for it was the taking away of the High places alſo, which other Reformers left ſtanding: and they kept the Paſsover unto the Lord, ſuch a one as had not been ſince the time of the Iudges, and yet 2 King. 23.26,27. notwithſtanding the Lord turned not from the fierceneſs of his wrath. Here is a ſad and unexpected cloſe of this famous ſtory, and that not onelyonly for old ſins; but Zeph. 1. the Land continued in the ſame evils ſtill, and therefore the Lords controverſie continued againſt them: there were the remnants of Baal in the hearts of the people ſtill, and there were thoſe that did ſwear by God, & by Malchom, that did endeavor ſo to keep up a mixture in Religion; and thoſe that were Apoſtates, and were turn'd back from the Lord, and men that were ſetled upon their lees, that did ſay, the Lord will neither do good nor evil, and for this cauſe will the Lord ſearch Ieruſalem with Candles, &c.
2 Former mercies will not ſecure you, if you forſake the Lord. Its true that former mercies are of a great engagement unto us to keep cloſe to God: the cords of love lay upon men the ſtrongeſt bonds; but yet if they do not oblige us, they are not binding unto God. Its true, that faith may make uſe of former mercies, as an argument to a repenting and returning people, as Num. 14.19. Pardon the iniquity of this people according unto the greatneſs of thy mercy, as thou haſt forgiven this people from Egypt even until now, but it is no prevailing Argument for a back-ſliding people; but the Lord wil ſay, how long ſhall I bear this evil Congregation? and therefore the word is gone out of his mouth, and judgement ſhall the ſooner and with the greater fury plead the cauſe of abuſed mercy in former deliverances, Deut. 28.63. It ſhall come to paſs that as the Lord hath rejoyced over you to do you good, ſo alſo the Lord will rejoyce over you to deſtroy you and to bring you to naught; the word foreign doth ſignifie to rejoyce, ſummo gaudio & incredibili laetitia. Anſwerable unto the joy and delight which the Lord ſeem…d to take in bleſſing a people, and in building them up; ſuch will the delight be which he will ſeem to take in ruining that people and deſtroying them. If you be not bound by the cords of his law; let me tell you, he himſelf will never look upon himſelf as bound by the cords of his law: if they be no ingagement upon you, they will be found none upon him in the end. Pſal. 120.4. it is by ſome underſtood of the ſlanders of men; but it is by others underſtood of the judgements of God; there ſhall be mighty and ſharp Arrows, with coals of juniper, that is ſuch as burn with greateſt fierceneſs, and longeſt laſting, and ſuch as yield a ſweet ſavor in the burning; there is no deſtruction like unto that, when God ſhall delight to deſtroy a people, he ſhall laugh at their deſtruction, and mock when their fear comes. Fourthly, The Lord delights to deal with ſinners in a way of proportion and retaliation; according to their dealing with him; and there ſhall be the Image of the ſin in the judgement that ſhall be executed upon them: that the Lord will but deal with them ſo, as they deal with him: if they forſake him; this ſhall be their judgement, he will alſo forſake them. If men be invited to the marriage feaſt of the Kings ſon, and they make excuſes they will not come; their judgement is, they that were …idden ſhall not taſte of my ſupper. If the people of Iſrael will not (at the command of God) go up unto the land of Canaan to take poſſeſſion, they will not enter into Gods reſt; the Lord ſaith, nay, he doth ſwear in his wrath, that they ſhall not enter: and if in the days of their proſperity, men will ſay to the Almighty, depart from us; in the ſame proportion will the Lord ſay unto them in the day of their judgement, Depart from me, I know you not. In thoſe things wherein the ſons of men are, and their luſts acted and more drawn forth, in thoſe the Lord doth delight that their judgement ſhould be. The people of Iſrael were formerly weary of the Prophets, as we now are of Ordinances, and they did ſay to them, propheſie not, and cauſe the holy one of Iſrael to ceaſe from us; therefore the Lord ſaith, he will cauſe the Sun to go down upon the Prophets, and he makes the day to be dark about them, that there ſhould be none that ſhould underſtand or be able to tell them how long: and when they deſired Teachers according to their luſt, and did ſay, Speak to us ſmooth things, and propheſie deceit; theſe rough-ſpirited men we cannot away with them:—The Lord ſaith, if any man will propheſie of wine or ſtrong drink, he ſhall be a Prophet unto this people; yea even in hell the ſins of men ſhall be their torment; and the Lord delights to make them ſo; tis true, ſin ceaſes there, as it is paenae demeritum: for judgement paſſes onelyonly on men, for what is the fleſh: but, not & paenae damnatio: for damnati blaſphemant Deum & in hoc peccant, ſed peccata pertinent ad damnationis poenam, &c. for what the Lord doth, he doth in high diſpleaſure and indignation, and that doth delight him, foreign to retaliate, that men may abundantly eat the fruit of their own ways, and be filled with their own devices; and the Lord makes in this retaliation a greater ſpeed with ſome men, then he doth with others, anſwerable to the Mercies beſtowed, and abuſed: ſome mens ſins are as a basket of Summer-fruit: quia maturitatem ſuam ſunt aſſecuti— Am. 8.12Druſius:—they that have ſtood long under mercies, and under Ordinances, they do ripen the ſooner, and the Lord will ſurely haſten his work upon ſuch a people: habet ſapientia juſtitiae ſua compendia; the Lord knows how to finiſh the work, & to cut it ſhort in righteouſneſs: for a ſhort work doth the Lord intend to make in the land, Rom. 9.28. How long ſoever the work be that God makes with any other people, yet with an unthankful people, that lives in high abuſes of goodneſs, he will ſurely make a ſhort work with them. Fifthly, At the ſame time when we begin to forſake God, he doth begin to forſake us; for ſo much muſt be taken from the beginning of the verſe, the Lord is with you, whiles you are with him: ſo we and ſome others render it, dum fuiſtis—Therefore the ſame date that our departing bears unto God, the ſame alſo doth the Lords departing bear unto us; at the ſame time when the Prodigal did but ſet the firſt ſtep to return to his father, the father did ſet forth to meet him: and at the ſame time that any man departs and turns away from God, at the ſame time doth the Lord turn away from him alſo, and though it be not preſently viſible; for our Apoſtacy from God is firſt in the inward man, our ſouls draw back from him; Jer. 6.8.at the ſame time alſo his ſoul departs or is dis-joynted from ſuch a people: and in ſuch caſes the Lord is very exact in obſerving of the time, he keeps an account of it unto a day, as we ſee it in Saul, 1 Sam. 13 13,14.Now would the Lord have eſtabliſhed the kingdom upon Iſrael for ever, but now thy kingdom ſhall not continue; now Saul departed from the Lord, and from this time forth the Lord did forſake him: and therefore 1 Sam. 13.2. it's ſaid that he reigned but two yeers over Iſrael, that is, Legitimè & non rejectus á Deo, ſo Jun…poſt biennium a Shemuèle fuit: ſo that though the kingdom did continue ſo many yeers …fter, or he continued in the kingdom, yet he reigned as King but two yeers, now he rejected God, and now the Lord re…ected him from being King over Iſrael: and though men diſcern it not, yet there are ſymbolical precepts, by which the Lord doth try men even at this day; the Lord puts them upon ſuch a buſineſs, puts ſuch power, and ſuch authority into their hands, which they abuſing, and their heart, departing from God in it, they are under an evil aſpect from God from that time forward; that though their lives may continue, and though they may for a time continue in their authority, yet from that time, he Lord departs from them, and they do by degrees wither and decay inſenſibly; degenerate in their zeal for God and his people. Sad are the Records and the aſpects of God upon great men in this kind; ſuch a day I tryed a mans integrity and his fai…hfulneſs, I put power into his hand to honor me with it, and yet his ſpirit departed from me, his heart was falſe and unſtable with me; therefore, from that day my ſoul is disjoynted from ſuch a man, will honor him no more: Saul reigned long after before the people; but, from that time, no longer in Gods account.
Sixthly, In the ſame degree that a people do forſake the Lord, will the Lord alſo forſake them: and ſo much the Hebrew word alſo doth ſeem to import in exiſtendo vos cum eo, in your being with him, he will alſo be with you, and in your forſaking of him, he will alſo forſake you. The Lord departs from a people gradatim by ſeveral removes, to ſee if there be any that will ſtir up themſelves to take hold of God. As the glory of the Lord departed from the Temple, Ezek. 10.11. firſt he goes up from the Cherubins unto the threſhold, and from thence to the middle of the City, and from the City unto the Mountain: and theſe removes of God from us are anſwerable unto the degrees of our departing from him: for in theſe things the Lord doth exactly obſerve a proportion. As it is in the matter of outward afflictions, ſo it ſhall be alſo in ſpiritual deſertions: Ezek. 7.16. as pride doth bud, ſo the rod doth bloſſom; violence doth riſe up unto a rod of wickedneſs: their rod is taken out of their own ſins: their own wickedneſs doth correct them: and anſwerable to the growth of ſin in them, ſo doth the rod grow for them, that it may be corrected. And ſo it is in deſertion alſo; with the upright the Lord will ſhew himſelf upright: if mens hearts be wholly with him, he will be perfect and intire with them: but if men be for God onelyonly in ſhew, he will be for them and with them onelyonly in ſhew: if they give unto him onelyonly outward obedience, he will give unto them onelyonly a temporal reward: if they do offer unto God but external ſervice, and that which is ſeemingly ſervice, but really a ſin; he will beſtow upon them outward bleſſings, that is, that which ſhall be ſeemingly a bleſſing, but really a curſe: a bleſſing in the thing, but a curſe to the man. For the Lord will hold a proportion: as we forſake him, ſo he will in the ſame meaſure and degree, forſake us alſo. All the children of deſtruction, are not born at once, Hoſ. 1.the firſt is Iezreel, and the laſt Loammi; yea and Gods own people anſwerable unto their departing from God, ſo they ſhall find the Lords withdrawment from them; David had his firſt ways, 2 Chr. 17and the people of God have their firſt, Rev. 2.4. and they that do decline from God in holy obedience, they ſhall finde the Lord will depart from them in reference to a gracious preſence: it ſhall not be with them as it hath been in times paſt: they ſhall remember with bitterneſs after their departure from their former husband, that it was better with them then it is now.
2. Let us now look upon the grounds of this Doctrine, that upon our forſaking of God he will forſake us; and they are different, according unto a double ſtate of men in this life: ſome are in a ſtate of Nature; and ſome are in a ſtate of grace.
Firſt they that are in a ſtate of nature forſaking God, ſhall be utterly forſaken by him, and that for ever; for the Lord doth deal with men according to the tenor of the Covenant, under which he ſtands; in all his adminiſtrations, he is always mindful of his Covenant. Now all men in a ſtate of Nature, are under a Covenant of works; for though this Covenant were broken in the fall, yet it was not aboliſhed, but ſtands in force ſtill unto all unregenerate men, to the end of the world; its true, that being become weak through the fleſh, it can give life no more, Rom. 8…3. but it commands duty as perfectly as it did unto Adam in the ſtate of innocency; and ſo far as a man falls ſhort of perfect and perſonal obedience, ſo far he ſins, and it threatens a Curſe as dreadfully now, as it did in the ſtate of innocence: and it is by vertue of this Covenant that ſin is bound upon the Conſciences of ungodly men for ever: and by vertue of this Covenant the Curſe comes upon them in this life, in a degree, and hereafter in the perfection thereof. Neither is that Arminian Doctrine to be received, Lex prima ceſſabat primo foedere rupto per inobedientiam primi hominis; that men being conſtituted under the Curſe, the firſt Covenant being broken, all the debt of legal obedience which the creatures did owe unto God, did immediately ceaſe; for then, there ſhould have been no ſin after the firſt ſin; for if the Law ceaſed, there could be no tranſgreſſion: neither is it any way anſwerable unto Reaſon or Scripture, that becauſe man had loſt his ability to obey, therefore God ſhould loſe his authority to command. Now in the firſt Covenant God dealt with man by way of retaliation, Gen. 4.7. if thou doſt well, ſhalt thou not be accepted? the beſt ſervices muſt needs be rejected for the leaſt fayling; therefore in the creatures departing from God, he will alſo depart from him: and by the terms of the Covenant he is bound, if they forſake him, he muſt alſo forſake them: his Juſtice and truth do bind him unto it: and according to that Covenant, it is, bonum ex integro conſtat; malum ex quolibet defectu.
2 There are ſome men in a ſtate of Grace, and the change of their eſtate depends upon the change of their Covenant: ſuch a mans ſtate is as is his Covenant under which he ſtands. He that is in a ſtate of Grace, is therefore tranſlated into the Covenant of Grace; and then all the dealings of God with him are anſwerable unto the tenor of the ſame Covenant: and this Covenant is an everlaſting Covenant, for he will write the law in their hearts, and put his fear ſo into them, that they ſhall not depart from him, Jer. 32.20. and therefore he will never forſake them utterly: for he hath ſaid, he will never turn away from them to do them good. We are far from that Doctrine as to conclude from hence, that the interchange of members between Chriſt and Satan, is frequent and ordinary; and that as Chriſt takes members from Satan, ſo doth Satan alſo take members from Chriſt; that a man may be a member of Chriſt to day, and a child of the devil to morrow; now in a ſtate of Grace, and by & by in a ſtate of ſin; beloved of God to day, & forſaken of God to morrow; for we read, that whom he loved once he loved unto the end; for he loves them not with a temporal, but with an everlaſting love: and as in reference unto a mans eternal condition, there is a gulf fixed, which notes Calv.aeternitatem ſtatus; ſo there is in reference to the change of a mans Covenant, a gulf fixed; and it is as poſſible for the creature to paſs from Heaven to hell; as it is for a man according to the rules of the word of God, who is under the Covenant of Grace to paſs afterward, or ever to return into the Covenant of works: yet, under the ſecond Covenant, though there be not a final forſaking, yet there may be a real, and a gradual deſertion: as well as affliction, is compatible with the ſtate of a ſon. I will viſit their offences with the rod, but my loving kindneſs I will never take from them, nor ſuffer my faithfulneſs to fail: I was wroth and ſmote him, and hid my face, &c. my beloved had withdrawn himſelf, and was gone, &c. and there is a real diſpleaſure, though it be Cant. 5.Ira paterna, non hoſtilis; and there is a deſertion not onelyonly in point of conſolation, but in point of ſanctification alſo; that when a man comes to reſiſt ſin, or to perform duty, he ſhall not finde the ſame preſence, nor the ſame aſſiſtance, that he formerly had: men may go forth in the ſtrength of Grace received, and they may with Samſon think to do as in times paſt; but if they turn aſide from the Lord, they ſhall finde that the Lord is departed from them: for it is not being in a ſtate of Grace, that carries the actual preſence of God with a man, but it is acting thoſe graces that he has received, and walking anſwerable unto that eſtate: Joh. 14.23.If a man love me and keep my words; my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him; he will love him; we cannot love him unleſs he love us firſt; there is a love of benevolence which begins in God, and hath reſpect unto nothing in the creature; but there is a Love of complacence, which though it flow from free Grace, yet it is acted anſwerable unto the Image of God in the creature, and as the creature walks with God, and is ſerviceable unto his great ends; there is a preſence of God with us anſwerable to our care of keeping Communion with him: if a Godly Magiſtrate ſhall with Solomon, have his heart departing from the Lord, though the Lord have appeared to him twice, and hath given him formerly very gracious and ſignal teſtimonies of his preſence with him, if he ſhall turn aſide unto crooked ways, he will ſurely fail of his former preſence, and aſſiſtance in his Government: a mans right Arm will wither, and his right eye will be put out: he ſhall neither have that wiſdom in his Government, neither ſhall he have that Authority and ruling power in the hearts of the people; and the reaſon is, becauſe God is not with him as in times paſt: but he having forſaken God, he is forſaken of God: and if a Godly man whoſe ſoul is become an habitation of God through the ſpirit, ſhall now forſake the fountain of living waters, and ſhall dig to himſelf broken Ciſterns, ſhall let his heart go out to the Creatures, and ſhall forget the Lord, and his heart ſit looſe from him; he ſhall finde that the Lord will withdraw himſelf, that he ſhall not have that aſſiſtance in ſervices, nor that comfortable and fruitful preſence in all his ways, but he ſhall in a meaſure walk without God in the world, even as the men of the world do: and if a ſtate that have had a glorious preſence of God with them, that the Lord hath made bare his Arm in the ſight of the Nations, ſo that the fear of them hath fallen upon all the Nations round about, becauſe they ſaw that God did fight for them, the Lord hath gone before them, and the God of Iſrael was their rereward; and therefore he hath given them the necks of their enemies, and no weapon formed againſt them hath proſpered; every tongue that did riſe up in judgement againſt them hath he condemned: but if this ſtate ſhall now fall in love with her own beauty and greatneſs, and ſhall ſay this is Babel that I have built, and my hands have gathered the riches of the Nations, if this ſtate ſhall now truſt in an arm of fleſh and ſay wee'l have no more care of the truths of God, and the Ordinances of God, they are upon Civil and Politick reſpects that we ſtand; the Lord will ſurely depart from them: if they ſhall ſay, we are Lords, we will come no more at thee; their Rock will ſell them: their wonted preſence will depart from them, and the Lord will take pleaſure to bring them down whom he hath before exalted, and to deſtroy them after he hath done them good.
3 Yet for the further opening of this point, it is neceſſary that we diſcover, what it is for a perſon or people to forſake the Lord, and what it is for God to forſake them, and when he is ſaid in Scripture ſo to do?
Firſt, What it is to forſake God, and when the Lord is ſaid to be forſaken. Firſt, they that forſake the Law and truths of God, forſake God; wicked men that live without God are deſcribed by Pſa. 119 5….forſaking the Law of God, the wicked that forſake thy Law, Jer. 9.13. they have forſaken my Law which I ſet before them, and have walked after the imaginations of their own hearts, and after Baalim which their fathers taught them, &c. For it is God that we have to do with in the word: the word is mighty, Heb. 9.12 13.and all things are open and naked before him with whom we have to do; therefore the word hath (as it were) the properties of God attributed unto it, it is foreign, a diſcerner of the ſecret thoughts and intents of the heart, which belong unto God onelyonly: but it is not from the power of the word alone, but from the preſence of God therein; for in the word it is, him with whom we have to do: therefore if in the word we have to do with God, then they that do forſake the word of God, forſake God: and men do forſake the Law of God; firſt when they depart from the foundation: there is a twofold foundation that the S…ripture holds forth; fundamentum doctrinae, & perſonae.—its true, a perſonal foundation can no man lay, any other then what is laid, Jeſus Chriſt: but there is alſo a doctrinal foundation, which is called the foundation of the Apoſtles and Prophets, Eph. 2.20.and this is that pattern of wholſome words that foreign. that form of Doctrine, and that which the Apoſtle mentions of the foundation which he himſelf hath laid, Heb. 6.1. and this the Church of Chriſt in the pureſt times ſhall not depart from, for Rev. 21.14. the walls of the City ſhall have twelve foundations, and upon them written the names of the twelve Apoſtles of the Lamb, &c. that Antient ſtanding of Truth, let it be preſerved, and all ſuperſtructures, let them tend to the cleering and eſtabliſhment, and not to the ſubverting of them; let men build as high as they can, ſo as they hold the foundation; ſit verè profectus fidei, non permutatio: Lyren. And in this the people of God have been always fearful; quo quis ſanctior, eo promtior novellis adinventionibus contraire, &c. we are now quite contrary: the more holy any man ſeems to be, the more open h…s ears are, and the more ready he is to cloſe with every novelty, or call all into queſtion; Satans great deſign in this age, is, to keep all men in uncertainties: two ways Satan hath, one way in the time of peace, and another in the time of perſecution; in the one cogit homines negare Chriſtum, in the other docet, Auſtin; he doth force them in the one, he doth teach them in the other: but his great aym is at fundamentals; for there is ſuch a connexion of theſe, that a man cannot deny one, but he overthrows all the reſt. It was the rule that Luther gave, Spiritus Sanctus ſcepticus non eſt, and therefore it is to be feared, that under theſe great pretences of the Spirit, there is very little of the Spirit of Chriſt in men; when it tends to Scepticiſm, not to Chriſtianity.
Secondly, Men forſake the Law by putting falſe interpretations; for he that hath not the ſpiritual and true ſenſe of the Law, is without the Law, Rom. 7.9. Pſal. 11…and ſo men are ſaid to make void the Law of God; foreign it is not Palam & ex profeſſo, but it is fecretly & under hand, foreign ye have unlorded the Law by your traditions:—and they that take away the mind of the Law they do deſtroy the Law; and this is the greateſt ſacriledge in the world; men are called, by Nazianzen, foreign,
They that do ſteale away the ſenſe of the Scripture from the words of the Scripture, and take them not according to the ſcope of the place, or the intention of the ſpirit of God in them, but in Allegories and myſtical ſenſes; now this way, and then another, as it chimes into their fancies. We blame the Papiſts for making of the Scripture a noſe of wax; if ever it were ſo, it is ſo made by many of our Teachers at this day: and by this means, it ſhall ſerve to uſher in and to patronage any invention that our own hearts can preſent unto us; there are great pretences of love now held forth, that men ſhould love one another, though they differ in opinion, upon the point of ſaintſhip, &c. the ſame thing we alſo ſay and preſs, that we love one another, but let it be with the Apoſtles aſſertion, 2 Ioh. 6. This is love, that we walk after his Commandments: and let it be alſo with the Apoſtles Injunction foreign, truth it in love: Eph. 4.15—ſteal not away Truth from us under the ſhews and pretences of love: in vain have the endeavours of Conciliators, been that have ſought to unite men, whoſe principles in reſpect of Truth were contrary. It is a great honor to be as Nazian. of Athanaſius, he was diſſentientibus magnes, &c. but yet ſo as we are to conſider, that Truth is primo-primum in Religione: without which all motives unto union though in a moral conſtruction good, and coming from a good intention, will never prove in any meaſure effectual: it is ſpeaking Truth in love, that will onelyonly make men grow up into one body in the Lord; and it was the diſhonor of that great power, Rev. 9. that though they had faces like men, and the teeth of Lyons, a great ſhew of meekneſs, and yet abundance of ſtoutneſs and courage joyned with ſucceſs in all their undertakings, for they were crowned Locuſts; yet they had a ſting in their tails, diabolicam & pſeudo-Propheticam propaginem denotat: all the power of their Conqueſt was uſed to no other end, but to leaven and poyſon all places where they came and conquered with their corrupt opinions: whoever they be that uſe their power in this manner, be their ſucceſs what it will be, they are in judgement, and for the Torment of all where they come, and ſuch Locuſts proceed out of the ſmoke of the bottomleſs pit.
Secondly, They forſake God that forſake his worſhip: ye are they that forſake the Lord, that forget his holy Mountain, to prepare a Table for that hoſt, &c. Iſa. 65.11.Some expound it of the hoſt of heaven, and there is a great number of them; for they that forſake the way of the Lord, they do find out many inventions, in Gods worſhip. There is a double worſhip of God, natural, and inſtituted; the one following upon the nature of God, and the other flowing from the will of God; and the latter the Lord did ſee neceſſary in all ages, as medium cultus naturalis, it was neceſſary unto Adam when he was in Paradiſe; the Sabboth, and the tree of life, and the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, were then inſtituted; it was ſo for the honor of God, that the Lord Jeſus himſelf obſerved it in the days of the fleſh, and did thereby fulfil all righteouſneſs, and worſhipped God according unto the inſtitution of the Jewiſh Church, and he hath left ſuch Inſtitutions to be obſerved in his Church to the end of the world: the Saints continued in the Apoſtles Dectrine and fellowſhip, in breaking of bread and prayer; and now men are grown ſo Religious, as they cry down inſtituted worſhip, and ſay that they are but forms: it is true, that reſted in they are no more, as the Ceremonies of the Jews were not: but as they are Forms, ſo they are Duties; therefore to ſay men may uſe them or not uſe them, and that Chriſtians are ſometimes for ſeeking under Formes, but there is yet a higher way; ſome that are unwedded unto any Forme, that reſerve themſelves ſingle for the immedi…te embraces of their love: What is this but to forſake the Lord; becauſe it is to forget his holy Mountain? to worſhip God in any other way then he hath appoynted, that is Idolatry; and to neglect that way of Worſhip that he hath appoynted his people to walk with Him in, that is prophaneneſs. We complain of the prophaneneſs of the people throughout the Nation; they are ſuch Principles as theſe that are the great Grounds of prophaneneſs: and from hence it goes forth into all the Land; for how ready will all they that were weary of Ordinances, and lookt upon them as a burden long agoe, how greedily will they imbrace ſuch a Doctrine as this is; that may be a bribe unto their Conſciences in their prophaneneſs, and utter neglect of God; ſurely it is a good rule, qui non eſt Religioſus, Chriſtianus non eſt: that man doth very much forfeit his Chriſtianity, that doth either in Doctrine or Practice in this manner decry the inſtituted Worſhip of Chriſt: I am not willing to ſpeak much of Officers now, which is an Inſtitution, as well as that of Ordinances; for the Lord hath ſet them in the Church, 1 Cor. 12.28. and he hath appointed their term of continuance, till we all come unto the unity of the Faith, unto a perfect man; till the whole body of Chriſt be gathered, and perfected; and the end, Epheſ. 12.14. why he hath appoynted them is, that we may not be carryed away with every wind of Doctrine; that was the end why God appoynted them, and this is the main reaſon why men oppoſe them; becauſe they cannot carry men away as they would, by this means; and thereſore it is a true obſervation, that never any man did begin to overthrow and corrupt Religion, but he began with the Miniſtery firſt. It is that which Adam Contzen. directs to the Miniſters and thoſe that give their Teſtimony to the Truths of God, ſpecially ſuppreſs them, & error cui patrocinium deerit, ſine pugna concidet: ſo calls he Truth; and there is a promiſe made to them, that God will be preſent with them to the end of the world; and a proviſion is made for them to the end of the world; for the Lord hath ordered, that they that ſerve of the Altar ſhould live at the Altar; Cor. 1.9,14. though now a great part of the Religion of the times is to cry down a Miniſtery, and ſo as Luther hath obſerved, Satan hath had two ways to put out the light of the Goſpel mendaciis, & Inopia: And he ſaith men do profeſs, Miniſtris nihil opus eſt: they were things not much to be regarded, though there is a juſtice to be exerciſed unto them as men, how much ſoever they are deſpiſed as Miniſters: but it were not much to be regarded, though you look upon them as men of all others the leaſt conſiderable, if God were not forſaken in it; but to forſake Gods Worſhip, is in the Scriptures account to forſake God.
Thirdly, we forſake God by carnal confidence. The Lord ſaies, Jer. 2.13. they have forſaken me, and they have digged to themſelves broken Ciſterns. Jer. 17.5. Curſed is he that truſts in man, and makes fleſh his arm, and his heart departeth from the Lord: if the Lord be not exalted alone in the ſoul, either ſub ratione boni, aut auxilii, the heart of man forſakes him, and leans on ſomething elſe that is not God. Now if it be Counſels of men, the power of Armies, the Aſſiſtances of Confederates, ſo far a man forſakes the Lord: therefore the Lord doth way lay all humane ſuccours, that they ſhall prove vain and unſucceſsful; and men ſhall be aſhamed of their Confederacies: thou ſhalt be aſhamed of Aſſyria, as thou haſt been aſhamed of Egypt thy conſidence; yea deſtruction comes out of it; they that ſit down under the ſhadow of a creature, it is but under the ſhelter of a bramble: fire will ſurely come out of it to conſume the C…dars of Lebanen; when men turn to God, they are taken off from carnal confidence, they ſhall then ſay, Aſhur ſhall not ſave us: therefore men turn to the creature when they do forſake and depart from God.
Fourthly, men forſake God in their converſation: when they neither walk with God, or worthy of God: the waies of ſin are departing from God: going into a far Countrey, it is communion with Belial: and walking in waies of pride, oppreſſion and uncleanneſs, it is living without God and therefore ſurely it is a forſaking of him, a departing from him; and forſaking of his Truth and Worſhip; is the only and ſpecial means thereunto; our Saviour ſays John 17. Sanctifie them by thy Truth, &c. Take away Truth, and ye deſtroy Holineſs at the root: Let men pretend holineſs whileſt they will, unclean opinions will ever be accompanied with unclean practiſes; and therefore it is a vain thing for men to hope that a holy converſation can be maintained without truth, which is the inſtrument which the Lord uſeth of mens ſanctification, Job 6.14. he forſakes God, that forſakes the fear of the Lord.
Secondly, What is it for a people to be forſaken of God? Firſt, when God withdraws the influence of his Spirit from the Ordinances, that though the Ordinances continue, yet the influences are gone; it is the firſt ſtep of the Lords removing from a people, and this is properly the removing or departing of his glory from off the Temple; though the Lord is everywhere preſent, yet there was a gracious preſence there; Deus ubique eſt, ſed non eadem ubique praeſtat. And therefore there is a darkneſs that fills the houſe, when the glory of the Lord was departed; its true, that the Temple, and the Sacrifices did continue, but it was but barely an outſide, for the preſence of God in glory and mercy was not among them; and therefore when the Lord returns to a people in mercy, the glory of the Lord doth in this manner return unto their Ordinances, Ezek. 43.4. while he may be found, ſeek the Lord; the time of the Spirits working in the means, is the day of ſalvation, Heb. 6. unto that people; there is a ground that drinks in the rain, not only of Ordinances, but of Influences: and the Lord will ſay, My Spirit ſhall not alwaies ſtrive; there is an oath that may go forth againſt a people, and then they are undone for ever: for the Lord is not as a man, that he ſhould repent: and this is the greateſt Judgement that can befall a perſon or a people in this life: for if the Spirit of the Lord depart from them, and evil Spirit from God in Judgement comes upon them: a Spirit of giddineſs, a vertiginous Spirit, which doth cauſe them to err in all the works of their hands: there is by ſome a great talk of converſion, that abundance have been lately converted: it is true, if turning unto a new opinion, or being brought off from ſuch a party be converſion, there are abundance of ſuch turnings in this Nation: but ſuch a general converſion, that if we look into the converſation of men, yea even of them that do profeſs Religion and the power of godlineſs, and the good old way of holineſs in the practiſe of it, is even wholly forgotten amongſt us.
Secondly, he takes away the Ordinances alſo: the preſence of God is in them: he is by theſe ſaid to dwell amongſt us: now when God departs from a people, he is ſaid to take away the Ordinances, which are the viſible tokens of his preſence, Ier. 23.33. they ſay, the burden of the Lord: and they were weary of the Ordinances of God amongſt them, ſaies God, this ſhall be your burden, I will forſake you: Nulla poſthac erit Prophetia, Calvin.Calvin. But what if it be ſo? its that in a ſpecial manner that we deſire: but conſider, 2 Chron. 7.20. I will caſt this houſe which I have ſanctified for my name out of my ſight, and I will pluck you up by the roots out of my Land which I have given you: when God once forſakes his Ordinances, he will the Land too.
Thirdly, the Lord doth forſake a people, by taking away the former aſſiſtances that they have had, and denying of them to his people: therefore the promiſe is Iſa. 62.4. thou ſhalt be no more termed forſaken: whilſt they were under the power of the enemy, and given up into the hands of their oppreſſors, ſo long they were a people forſaken of the Lord, Ioſh. 1.5. I will not leave thee, nor forſake thee: when God forſakes them, they ſhall not have the wonted preſence of God amongſt them: the Lord will neither bleſs their counſels, nor go forth with their Armies: but he will delight to make that people vile, that all their enemies ſhould take encouragement thereby, and ſay, God hath forſaken them: perſecute them, and take them, for there is none to deliver them; as the preſence of God is the great terror unto all that are round about, he being a wall of ſire about them, and the glory in the middle of them; ſo the greateſt encouragement to the enemies, is, when they ſhall ſee that Gods people have not the wonted preſence or aſſiſtance of God with them: and they ſhall be a deriſion to all the Nations round about: ha, ha, ſo would we have it.
Fourthly, God doth forſake a people in reſpect of his returns of their prayers, Pſal. 22.1,2. My God, why haſt thou forſaken me? and why art thou ſo far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, and thou heareſt not: and in the night ſeaſon am not ſilent; and this is the true greatneſs and the glory of a people, Deut. 4.7. that they have God nigh them in all that they call upon him for; and this hath been your glory in former times in the ſight of your adverſaries: that you could ſay, Tertullian.Caelum tundimus, & miſericordiam extorquemus.
And the prayers of the people of God have been the fire that hath gone out of the mouthes of the people of God that hath conſumed your enemies on every ſide: as Rev. 11 5. We did no ſooner make our prayers, but we might as it were, with Stephen, lift up our eyes to heaven, and ſee Ieſus ſtanding at the right hand of God: tanquam cauſae ſuae Judex & vindex: But if God forſake a people, they may cry, but the Lord will not hear them; he will ſhut out their prayers in diſpleaſure, and will cover himſelf with a cloud, that they ſhall not paſs through: when God takes away the ſpirit of prayer from his people, there is not a greater Argument that I know, that God doth intend to forſake them, and to ſhut out their prayers.
Ʋſe.
Having thus ſpoken of the Doctrinal propoſition, let us take the particular application to our ſelves: If you forſake him, he will alſo forſake you: our own hearts cannot but teſtifie againſt us, that there is a great forſaking of God in the middle of us: look but upon the generality of the Nation, and for all manner of prophaneſs we go beyond the worſt of times: and under a pretence of liberty, every man doth that which is right in his own eyes; and there is no maſter of reſtraint to put them to ſhame; It may be the fault is immediately to be laid upon inferiour officers, but ye know their neglects, and yet you do not force your own Laws: miſera vis eſt valere ad nocendum; it is woful liberty, a liberty of ſinning, the horrible oppreſſions, ſuch as have not been heard of: you have made an act againſt it, and what hath been done upon it? is it only to quiet the ſpirts of the people? and to ſtop their mouthes for a time only? The oppreſſions amongſt you are horrible: the delayes of Juſtice, putting things out of one hand into another: So that men know not when to have an end, that they rather chuſe to ſit down in deſpair, and looſe all, then follow buſineſſes of the greateſt concernment to them. And which of you in authority that have abundance of outward beings, in compariſon of many of your Brethren, can abate any thing of what you can exact for any place or employment that you have, becauſe of the cry that is amongſt us, as Nehemiah did? Nehem. 5.15. where is Nehemiahs ſpirit? Former governours were chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beſides forty ſhekles of ſilver, &c. but ſo did not I, becauſe of the fear of God: what abatement is there of mens ſallaries and payes? they that have abundance otherwiſe, that formerly never had, and could ſcarce ever have hoped for ſo much as now they have, and yet they cannot for the neceſſity of their brethren abate any of it; and how ſtrangely carnally confident are we? and ready to ſacrifice to our own nets, and to ſay, Our own hand hath wrought theſe deliverances for us: and we think we have an Army, and a Navy, that is able to defend againſt all our enemies; but let me tell you, if you live upon theſe, though they be as the breath of your noſtrils, yet it ſhall be as fire to conſume you, &c. Iſa. 33.11. Now as for the truths of God and his Ordinances, how are they forſaken? all the world do witneſs againſt us at this day: and though much hath been preſſed that way unto a ſettlement, yet nothing is done: there are ſome that are enemies unto this building: all eſtabliſhment in the things of God avoided: and induſtriouſly its obſerved by ſome (I hope it will not prove a Propheſie) that in this Age only, the deſtructive work hath proſpered in the hand of thoſe that ſit at the ſtern: but for the deſtructive work, let it be undertaken by whom it will, yet it hath never proſpered in any hand: therefore its feared, that Gods intention in this thing is only to deſtroy, and that he reſerves the glory of the building unto the generations to come: But it will be objected, is there not power enough in Religion to avenge it ſelf? Religio contenta eſt viribus ſuis; nec ſpoliata eſt vi ſua, etiamſi nullum habeat vindicem. 2 Cor. 10.6. our weapons are in a readineſs to avenge all diſobedience; and it will be ſaid, have not we made Laws againſt them? Laws againſt hereſie, Laws againſt Blaſphemy? but what are dead Laws to living examples? we are exhorted Ioh. 3. not to receive them into our houſes, and not to bid them God ſpeed, &c. Yet you know they bring not this Doctrine: and yet who are the men of your counſels? who are admitted to your houſes? received at your tables as your chiefeſt friends but ſuch men? and thoſe that you know to be ſuch men, that oppoſe and are profeſſed enemies to the truths of God, in ſuch things that you your ſelves know to be truths: And will that maxime of Mariana bear you out? Princeps nil ſtatuat de Religione: its true, Conſcience will ſeek a bribe, if the mind be upon any thing, it will colour it over with fair pretences: but it is but a fig-leafe, and will appear ſo before God: ſurely you ſhould walk in the waies of Godly Magiſtrates who have gone before you. Now to which of the Saints will you turn? When did ever any good Magiſtrate plead, that in the things of God, as a Magiſtrate, he was not concerned?
But it will be ſaid; All this is but begging the Queſtion. For this ſuppoſes that the Magiſtrate is concerned in matters of Religion, which is the thing in doubt: I look not on it as ſeaſonable to diſpute the thing now; only crave leave to offer a ſew conſiderations to you about it.
Firſt, that which may provoke God to forſake a Nation, that certainly Magiſtrates are concerned in: But the things of Religion are the great things that provoke God to forſake a Nation, in Ezek. 8.5. the Prophet ſaith, they have ſet up an Image of jealouſie to provoke me to depart from my ſanctuary: And the next news you hear is, God departs from the City.
Secondly, that which laies the foundation for the overthrow of Governors and Government, that Magiſtrates are concerned in; but corruption in Religion doth ſo: take but the example of a heathen, in Ezr. 7.23. Whatſoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the houſe of the God of heaven; for why ſhould there be wrath upon the Realm of the King and his ſon? Nay conſider but one man, its a ſtrange inſtance that Lachiſh ſhould be called the Beginning of ſin, in Mich. 1.13. Why, Lachiſh the Kenite carryed away Michals Gods; they conquered Lachiſh, and ſet up the Idols there: this began in one man, and never ceaſed till it had deſtroyed the whole Nation, brought the Captivity at laſt.
Nay I ſhould deſire to add one thing more; the neglects in this kind hath brought the greateſt Judgements upon the Church and people of God in the world: two or three inſtances I ſhall give: What brought the Goths and Vandals upon the Weſtern Empire? the neglect of the Arrian Hereſie. Becauſe the woman was not relieved, the Lord brought in thoſe barbarous Nations for her ſuccour: What brought in the Saracens upon the Eaſtern part of the Empire? why corruption in Religion: they worſhipped Images, and they repented not; What brought in Antichriſt, the temple of God becoming an outer Court? there was a general neglect of the things of God: and by this means Antichriſt aroſe: And Auſtin ſaith, this year Auſtin.Libertatem perditionis promiſit. Iulian did ſuffer all men to uſe their own Religion with freedom: leaving every one freely to deſtroy themſelves: Let theſe things be conſidered, and I doubt not but it will appear that Magiſtrates are ſomewhat concerned in the things of God: if you were preſt to any thing that did not ſavour of truth, or were any way unſutable to the Goſpel, happily ſomewhat might be ſaid: But that which hath been preſt upon you, is only this: Give teſtimony for thoſe truths that you your ſelves profeſs, and diſcountenance the contrary errors: And I am ſure they that are moſt tender in theſe things and ſpeak leaſt in it, ſay, Igne charitatis haeretici ſunt comburendi, we muſt burn the heretick with the fire of Charity: Love the man, but hate the error: but not to countenance the error by countenancing the man.
I ſhould now preſs you to conſider the miſery that will come upon you by Gods forſaking us. I will only now ſpeak briefly to three things concerning it.
Firſt, if God forſake us, all the creatures will forſake us: as when God became an enemy at firſt to mankind, all the creatures alſo did become their enemy: it were no matter for the deſertion of all the neighbouring Nations, though we were as a ſpeckled Bird unto them and they all hate us: yet, if God be with us, who can be againſt us? but, Tolle Deum & nullus ero; if the glory of the Lord departed, then the Cherubims lifted up their wings, and are gone: as the voice that was heard to ſay in the Temple the night before Jeruſalem was taken, Migremus hinc, &c.
Secondly; if God forſake us, all the creatures will break in upon us: God hath forſaken him, purſue him and take him: for his hedge, his fence is taken away: I will take away the hedge thereof, ſhall the Lord ſay, and then a poor creature may comfort himſelf as Saul did in the creatures, honour me before the people, when the Lord had rejected him; but it is but cold comfort for a man ſo to do; for thy own ſervants will then become thy enemies.
Thirdly, there is no one thing that afflicts and affects a gracious heart more then deſertions; either in Church or ſtate, or his own ſoul, he fears nothing elſe; all that David ſtill prayes for, is O Lord, forſake me not: Oh forſake me not utterly; Lord be not thou far from me: there is this difference commonly between a godly man and a wicked man: the one fears Gods puniſhments: but the other fears Gods departure: and therefore Auſtin, It is as with a chaſt wife and a harlot: Auſtin.they both fear their husbands; Haec ne veniat; illa ne decedat: And the reaſon is, becauſe the one ſeeks only bleſſings from God; and the other only ſeeks communion with God; and if he had never ſo much from God, yetif he be denyed to ſeek his face denyed fellowſhip with him, and if the Lord do ſo forſake him, all things are bitter unto him, becauſe the joy of his heart is gone; ſurely, if you go on to forſake the Lord, he will forſake you; but the deſertion begins on your part; if you do not forſake him, he will not forſake you; therefore ſo far as you have backſlided from God, return to him, and you have this promiſe, I will heal your backſlidings.