Thirty-One Select Sermons, Sermon collection · Sermon 6
Communion with GOD, Good in Bad Times.
Preached at Pauls, Octob. 14. 1647. before the Lord Maior, & Aldermen.
PSAL. 73. ver. the laſt; the former part.
But it is good for me to draw neer to God.
WHen dangers are eminent, all men begin to look out for a refuge, that they may be able to make a certain and an honourable retreate: that they may in an univerſal deluge provide an Ark; in a common conflagration, a Zoar: and in a common Shipwrack that they may have tabulam poſt naufragium, that they may have ſomething, that when danger hath done its worſt, they may be able to lift up their heads and ſay, Terram video: I yet ſee an Haven to anchor in; I yet ſee an Haven to make to a ſafe harbour. All natural and unregenerate men, they have their refuges to which they retreate: the rich mans wealth is his ſtrong Tower: and his high wall is his own conceit. But the Holy-Ghoſt hath told us, that when God ſhall lay judgement to the line, and righteouſneſs to the Plumet, the hail ſhall ſweep away the refuge of lyes, and the ſtorm ſhall over-flow their hiding place, Iſa. 28.17. But a godly man he hath his refuge alſo: grace makes a man partaker of the divine nature, foreign, as Athen. Nazianzen expreſſeth it: it doth wholly reſolve the creature into God: God is to him allin all. God is his proviſion, for he is a Sun. His protection is from him, for he is a Shield. His perfection lies in him: for he himſelf is his exceeding great reward. Thus the name of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower, and the righteous flye thither and are ſafe; when the Branch of the terrible ones ſhall be brought low: ſpecially if we conſider the time into which God hath caſt us. As I know there is no duty, ſo I know not of any Doctrine more neceſſary then for the people of God, thoſe that have an intereſt in him, to be ſtir'd up at this time in a ſpecial manner to keep cloſe to him, that they may put on Davids reſolution in the Text, It is good for me to draw neer to God.
In this Pſalm you ſhall find David lie under a great affliction, and a great temptation: an affliction, for he ſaith, that he was plagued every day, and chaſtened every morning: and the temptation roſe from his obſervation of the contrary proſperity of the wicked. Here was a diſpenſation of Providence that David could notunderſtand; here was a Temptation of Satan, that David could not overcome; thereupon he goes into the Sanctuary of God. Truly, whatſoever men may think, the holyeſt men, and the ableſt men will ſometimes ſtand in need of the Miniſtry of the word: David went into the Sanctuary of God, and then the paſſage of Providence was clear to him, his mind was quiet, there is a pacifying vertue in the word, and the temptation vaniſhed: and this the Lord did by diſcovering unto David the ground of this differencing diſpenſations in outward things, in regard of the different Covenants under which men ſtand; and that both towards unregenerate men, and towards his own people: Towards unregenerate men, the Lord in his Sanctuary did diſcover to David theſe Three things;
Firſt of all, their outward proſperity was but like a dream, but an Image, an appearance an outſide, foreign, & doth pleaſe men no longer then while they are aſleep: it was but as a dream, when a man waketh, that all their outward proſperity would certainly die.
Secondly, the Lord diſcovered to him, all this glory ſhould end in their utter deſtruction in time; and that this Jordan of content did but carry them down to the dead Sea; the Lord will ſay, they had their portion in this life: Son, remember that in thy life time thou hadſt thy good things.
In the third place; the Lord diſcovered to him, that this common love ſhould end in an eternal hatred: ſo in theſe outward mercies there was a judgement: their Table was made a ſnare, and to ripen their ſins, and by this means highten their judgement; and ſo all the proſperity of the wicked to be an act of wrath, and not of mercy; and the Lord did advance them, that they ſtand upon ſlippery places. In all Gods diſpenſations towards unregenerate men there is a judgement, even in thoſe things that are mercies: outward bleſſings in themſelves, but curſes to the men; becauſe this is a rule, Sine ſummo bono nil bonum: there is nothing good to a man that hath not an intereſt in God that is the chiefeſt good. Theſe things being diſcovered unto David, he underſtood the end of theſe men; but in the Sanctuary alſo God taught David ſomething of his own people; and they were theſe three things.
Firſt, that notwithſtanding their ſufferings. yet they had Gods preſence in them: though the Lord be preſent with his people at all times, yet eſpecially in the worſt times: when the Buſh is in the fire, then in an eſpecial manner is the good pleaſure of him that dwels in the Buſh there: Thou art with me (ſaith David) thou holdeſt me with thy right hand. And as he had Gods preſence: So he learned in the Sanctuary, that they had Gods guidance: as he did not bear the affliction alone by his own power, ſo he did not go through it with his own wiſdom: thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel. And,
Laſtly, he had Gods glory; for theſe light afflictions work for us a more exceeding exceſsive eternal weight of glory: thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, and afterwards receive me to glory: and this ſowing in tears ſhall make way for a joyful harveſt. Now David having underſtood theſe things in the Sanctuary, hence he begins again to lay claim to God, and that he had made the beſt choice. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and who do I deſire upon earth in compariſon of thee? ſurely it is good for me to draw neer to God. Thus Gods people are gainers by all their afflictions, and they grow the ſtronger by all their temptations: This being the Connection, The Obſervation then that I ſhall deſire to handle without any diviſion of the words, is plainly in the Text.
Doctrine.
In evil times it is good for the people of God to draw neer to God: The beſt courſe a godly man can take in calamitious times, is to keep cloſe to God.
In the handling of this truth, there are two things that I ſhall deſire to clear for Explication, and then we ſhall come to Application.
Firſt, I deſire to ſhew you what it is for a man to draw neer to God; by ſin every man he is departed from God; the firſt deſign of ſin is to draw a man away, 1 Iam. 14. foreign, and the further a man goes in a way of ſinning, the further he doth depart from God. Inde 18. and all the luſtings of their heart are ungodly luſts. In this reſpect it is ſaid, the Prodigal went into a far Country. Eph. 2.17. Now there is by reaſon of ſin a double diſtance of enmity and eſtrangement; The Apoſtle in Col. 1.21. puts them both together: VVe are ſtrangers and enemies in our minds through evil works: now anſwerable to this double diſtance, ſo muſt our returning to God be: there muſt be a returning by reconciliation to take away your enmity: and by Communion, to take away your eſtrangement: for Chriſts buſineſs is, to bring us back unto God again, 1 Pet. 3.18
Firſt, for Reconciliation, that is not in Scripture called drawing neer ſo much as being made neer, Eph. 2.17. You are made neer that were a far off, by the blood of Chriſt: ſo that by Reconciliation a man is put into a ſtate of neerneſs and proquinquity. That is the firſt thing whereby the creature returns to God; but now being made neer, being put into a ſtate of union, then
Secondly, The ſoul comes to draw neer, that is, the eſtrangement muſt be removed, which is done by communion, to exerciſe acts of communion; obſerve it I pray. I ſay a man muſt firſt be put into a ſtate of neerneſs, and made neer, before ever he can exerciſe acts of communion, and then draw neer. Now this drawing neer, is for a ſoul to come to God from day to day, to improve his intereſt in him, grow into more and more acquaintance and familiarity with him: and you ſhall find, that when a man is once brought into a ſtate of union, then the Lord calls him alwaies unto fellowſhip. Open unto me my Love, my Siſter, and my Spouſe: there are continual knockings of the Lord as for a further entrance; there is a principle in us alwaies drawing back to perdition: and you ſhall find that there is a Spirit within alwaies calling to draw neer unto God: the Bride ſaith come, and the Spirit ſaith come: the Spirit in the Bride. There is a great deal of diſtance between God and the beſt of the Saints; for 2 Cor. 5. while we are at home in the body, we are abſent from the Lord. So Ignatius of old, he ſaith, Aqua viva in me intrinſecus dicit, veni ad Patrem: that there was a living voice within him, that alwaies called upon him. And I beſeech you conſider, a ſoul that is once put into a ſtate of communion, and hath taſted what it is to draw neer to God, he deſires a daily communion, he is never neer enough, he doth continually ſet it as a ſeal upon the heart. When a man is once by reconciliation put into a ſtate of neerneſs; then in all Ordinances, in all waies of obedience, in his exerciſe of all graces, the ſoul is ſaid to draw neer; that is, to act, and increaſe his fellowſhip and communion with God. This I conceive to be the meaning of that expreſſion, Ioh 22.21. Acquaint thy ſelf with God and be at peace, ſo goodneſs ſhall come unto thee: acquaint thy ſelf with him, foreign aſſueſce te cum illo; it is in the Hebrew, and is rendred by ſome, accuſtom thy ſelf to be with him: a daily commerce with God, and an accuſtoming of a mans ſelf with fellowſhip and communion with him; this is properly to draw neer. So that as Reconciliation taketh away your enmity, ſo communion takes away your eſtrangement.
But you will ſay to me, Can a creature draw neer to God? if you look upon man in his natural diſtance, God is in heaven, you are upon earth: can there be a drawing neer between finite and infinite? cna finite and infinite have fellowſhip? nay, look upon man in his moral diſtance, as a ſinner, and ſo, can there be agreement between light and darkneſs? can righteouſneſs and unrighteouſneſs have fellowſhip? Surely, God is a conſuming fire: and who can dwell, who can engage his heart to draw neer to him? Now give me leave (I beſeech you) to clear this to you, by propoſing to you this conſideration.
There is a two-fold ſtate of a ſinner. There are ſome ſinners that are in a ſtate of eſtrangement unto God: and whoſoever you be that are here preſent, the enmity of whoſe nature is not yet taken away, and deſtroyed by a work of Reconciliation: I ſay to you, whatſoever you be, you cannot draw neer to God: you may have communion with duties, you may pray, you may hear, but you can never have fellowſhip with God in thoſe duties, and that upon a double ground.
Firſt, becauſe the enmity of your nature remains; and two cannot walk together unleſs they be agreed: and ſurely the neerer ſuch a ſoul comes to God in any duty wherein Gods people approach to him, the more God is provoked againſt him, and the more he is eſtranged from him: a ſtrange expreſſion, that of the Prophet, I ſaw him in Gilgal, & there I held my peace; Gilgal was the place of worſhip: the neerer any man comes, the more a mans heart riſeth againſt him, and the more enmity doth encreaſe: I ſaw him in Gilgal, and there I held my peace: you cannot draw neer to God, the enmity of your natures ſtill remains. You cannot draw neer to God alſo
Secondly, becauſe you have another ſociety: your fellowſhip is with unfruitful works of darkneſs; and the fellowſhip, the amity, and love of the world, is enmity unto God. I remember, Auguſtine complains concerning himſelf in the daies of his unregenerate condition, ſpeaking of the pride of the luſts of his Spirit: Ecce, hi ſunt amici quibus conſului, quibus credidi: theſe were the companions that I converſed with, theſe were my friends, and theſe were my Counſellors. Now, my Beloved, whoſoever he be that hath Communion with the unfruitful works of darkneſs, it is no wonder if that man cannot draw neer to God. I have told you already, and I deſire you would lay it to heart, you muſt be made neer, or elſe you can never draw neer: you muſt be in a ſtate of communion, or elſe you can never have fellowſhip with God. That is the firſt thing.
But there are a ſecond ſort of ſinners, that are made neer by the blood of Chriſt: and theſe, though God be in heaven, and they are upon earth: though they be ſinners, and the Lord be holineſs it ſelf: nay, though they in their own apprehenſions ſhall ſay as Hooper once did, Lord thou art Heaven, I am Hell: yet they may draw neer to him, and that upon theſe ſix grounds: I beſeech you obſerve them. A ſinner put into a ſtate of communion may upon theſe grounds draw neer to God.
The firſt is, Gods electing love: the Lord hath ſeparated unto himſelf the man that is Godly, Pſal. 4.3. foreign, it is in the Hebrew, he hath gloriouſly, and miraculouſly, wonderfully, ſeparated to himſelf into fellowſhip: not only to himſelf for ſervice, but to himſelf for communion: and what is the ground? becauſe you are predeſtinated unto followſhip, foreign. My Beloved, when you all fell from God as well as the Apoſtate Angels, might not the Lord have left you in the ſame condition with them? and your doom ſhould have been curſed, and therefore curſed, becauſe you muſt depart; but if the Lord had been pleaſed to have been reconciled; if he had ſaid to you as David did concerning Abſolom, bring the young man home, but let him returne to his own houſe, and let him never ſee my face: if the Lord ſhould have ſaid, I will not remember their evil againſt them to deſtroy them, but they ſhall never ſee my face more, they ſhall be eſtranged to me for ever: you would have ſaid, this had been a merciemercy, even your preſervation; but this doth not ſatisfie Electing love: there is a double end that electing-love aims at, 2 Luke 14. it is, peace and good will; not only Reconciliation, but Communion: that God may take the creature into fellowſhip with himſelf, and empty himſelf (as I may ſo ſpeak with reverence) into the boſom of the creature. Be pleaſed now to conſider, you may then draw neer to God upon this ground of Gods electing love.
Secondly, you may draw neer to God, grounded upon the nature of the Covenant of grace under which you ſtand. My Beloved, God deals with all mankind in a Covenant-way; and according unto the Covenant under which he ſtandeth, ſo are all Gods diſpenſations towards him: and to that end the Lord hath made a double Covenant with a double head. The firſt Covenant was made with the firſt Adam, the ſecond Covenant with the ſecond Adam; and therefore God looks upon all mankind, as if there were but two men in the world. 1 Cor. 15.47. The firſt man was of the earth earthly: the ſecond man is the Lord from Heaven Heavenly: God looks upon all mankind as coming under theſe two heads, the firſt Adam, and the ſecond Adam. Now the Covenant of grace which the Lord hath eſtabliſhed, it hath a double propertie. Firſt, it is faedus amicitiae, a Covenant of friendſhip; the Lord doth take Abram as his friend. Abram my friend: James 2.23. Now the School-men tell us of two ſorts of relations; relatio diſquiparantiae connotat dominium: that notes ſubjection and dominion, as between a King and a ſubject, a maſter and a ſervant; there is not ſo properly communion: and relatio aequiparantiae quae denotat Communionem: now the proper end of friendſhip, is fellowſhip: for a mans friend is as his own ſoul, and the Covenant of grace is a Covenant of fellowſhip & therefore they may draw neer unto him, being taken by God into a Covenant of friendſhip.
2ly. the Covenant of grace is a matrimonial Covenant: faedus Conjugale: I betrothed her: in Hoſ. 2.9. you knowin this is the neereſt Communion, & the ſureſt oneneſs in this relation beyond al other in the world the greateſt friendſhip by vertue of an Ordinance two made one. One that was heretofore a ſtranger, ſhall be dearer then Father or Mother, and this voluntary relation by conſent, ſhall by vertue of the Ordinance of God be more powerful then a natural relation, and a man ſhall leave Father and Mother, and cleave to his wife: and if there be this power in an Ordinance of God that is but civil, what efficacy ſhall divine Ordinances and this ſpiritual Covenant have? Surely, thou ſhall lie in his boſom, and have the more intimate and full communion with him for ever. Now when the Lord will ſet forth the neer Communion that his people may have with him by this Covenant this he calls a Matrimonial Covenant.
Thirdly, you may draw neer to God grounded upon your union with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. The Apoſtle tells us, 1 Cor. 6.17. that he that is joyned to the Lord, is one Spirit: and by that Spriit we have acceſs to the Father, Eph. 3.12. foreign, the Apoſtle tells, that our way to God is through him; we have by Jeſus Chriſt our manuduction: he is the great Favourite that leads us in by the hand into the preſence of the Father, Eph. 2.18. through him we have an entrance to the Father, by one Spirit. Chriſt is not only medium reconciliationis, but he is medium communionis alſo: by his ſatisfaction the one; by his interceſſion the other: Jeſus Chriſt (my Beloved) hath a double reference to us: in the work of ſatisfaction, he is the means of Reconciliation: but in all our approaches unto God, being reconciled, Chriſt is the medium, he it is by whom we have Communion with the Lord. Beſides,
In the fourth place, you may draw neer to God becauſe of your conformity to him: for we are made partakers of the divine nature, 1 Pet. 1.4. and we live the life of God, Eph. 4.18. and we have his Image reſtored, 1 Cor. 15.49. Conformity is the ground of communion whereſoever it is. Joh. 3.6. and the more Conformity, the more Communion we have: and when your Conformity ſhall be perfected, ſo ſhall your communion be. Take that place (and it is a choice Scripture) in that Zach. 3.7. If thou wilt obey my words, keep my charge, I will give thee places to walk in among thoſe that ſtand by; foreign inter ſtantes illos: who are theſe? Thoſe, interpreters conceive to be Angels: So Druſius, Poſt mortem anima tua in chorum recipietur, &c. the Angels and the Saints they are taken into neereſt communion. So Calvin; ſo that the more Conformity there is, the more a man obeyeth God; and the more he keepeth Gods charges, the more the Lord will delight to give him places to walk in amongſt thoſe that ſtand by. Nay,
In the fifth place, you may draw neer to God; for though God be in Heaven you may aſcend, and the ſoul may be above in Heaven when the body is walking here below: there is a double way of the ſouls aſſent: either in contemplation, or affection. In contemplation, the ſoul may aſcend. John in Rev. 4. ſaid, I ſaw a door opened in Heaven, and a voice ſaid, Come up hither: John in his body aſcended not, but John in contemplation of his heart was above, Col. 3 4. A man is worth as much as his love is worth. Ezekiel, when he was in Babylon by the River Chebar, yet he ſaith, the Spirit of God carried him in the viſions of God to Ieruſalem, Ezek. 8.3. in his contemplation at Ieruſalem, and yet notwithſtanding in his body in Babylon by the River Chebar: And the ſoul may aſcend in its affection; Mat. 6.21. Where a mans treaſure is, there will his heart be: and ſurely where a mans heart is, there is his happineſs: and where his happineſs is, there is the man; mira ſublimitate tranſit amor in amatum. Niremb. Obſerve it, Auguſtine ſaith concerning himſelf, his ſoul aſcended up, and frequently ran and ſaluted the Prophets, and viſited the Patriarchs, &c. Anima aſcendit frequenter & currit familiariter per plateas coeleſtis Ieruſalem. Thus (my Beloved) may a mans ſoul be in heaven, even while his body is here below, feeding upon the hidden manna, and bathing himſelf in thoſe rivers of pleaſures, that the Lord hath prepared at his right hand for thoſe that love him; then, though you be upon earth, you may aſcend, and therein draw nigh to God.
In the laſt place (I muſt haſten) you may draw neer to God; for if you cannot aſcend to God, God will be pleaſed to come down to you, Iſa. 51.15. Heaven is my Throne, I inhabit eternity, I dwell in the high and holy place, yet will I dwell with the humble and the contrite heart; Luk. 13.15. If the Prodigal do but ſay I will go to my Father; the loſt Son comes in, the compaſſionate father runs: God deals with his people in this, in a way of reatliation; and when a man hath but a motion to return to God, why the Lord is ready to meet him, and embrace him: he hath to this end appointed Ordinances, and in them he tells you, he will meet you, Exod. 20.24. you need but come half way as it were; God ſaith, he will meet you. My Beloved, it is true indeed, it is an imperfect, yet notwithſtanding it is a real communion: we do but ſee him indeed behinde a wall; and through the lattice: but yet we do reaſly ſee. And it is ſuch a Communion that the Lord is himſelf exceedingly delighted with; the King is held in the Galleries; it is that mighty expreſſion of the Spirit, Cant 7.5. the King is held in the Galleries: there is a double Gallerie wherein Gods people take their walks with God, he, and they alone: the upper Gallerie is reſerved for the ſouls of juſt men made perfect: but there is a lower Gallerie wherein Gods people walk with him here: Jeſus Chriſt is ſaid ſo to delight himſelf in this converſe, that he is held there, and that by nothing, but by the cords of love; The King is held in the Galleries. Thus then let this ſerve for the opening of the firſt Branch; what it is to draw neer to God; and upon what ground, though God be in Heaven and you upon earth: though God be a conſuming fire, and thou as a ſinner, but ſtubble before him, being put into a ſtate of communion, thou mayeſt draw neer to him.
Now let us come to the ſecond Branch of the opening of the Doctrine; and that is, why it is good for the people of God, yea beſt for them in calamitous times, then to draw neer, to keep a cloſe and a conſtant communion with him; truly the grounds of it are very weighty; take it in theſe particulars, as briefly as I am able.
In the firſt place, this is the only means to preſerve a man from the ſin of evil fellow-ſhip; therefore it is good to draw neer to God; you ſhall alwaies find times of ſuffering to be alſo great times of ſinning: and men in them, they are not Tam miſeri quam mali, as Salmon compares them. When God pours out his wrath, then doth Satan pour out his rage: then becauſe iniquity doth abound, the love of many waxeth cold, and men prove Apoſtates and fall away. Now at ſuch times there is the greateſt Apoſtaſies, and backſlidings manifeſted then at any time: men fall from their former apprehenſions into erroneous opinions: men fall from their former affections, and they loſe their firſt love. Men fall from their former converſations, and they glory in their ſhame, and becauſe iniquity aboundeth, the love of many waxeth cold; and it is not ſtrange (I beſeech you mark it, for I ſpeak to you that fear God, that are put into a ſtate of Communion, I ſay it is not ſtrange) that even the Godly ſhould backſlide, and deny, and fall from the glory of their former converſation. David had his firſt and his latter waies. It is the expreſſion in Chro. 17.3. Iehoſaphat walked according to the firſt waies of David his father. A David may have his firſt and his latter waies; and in ſuch times as theſe for a man not to fall from his ſtedfaſtneſs (my Beloved) it is a mighty thing: when the Dragons tayl ſhall ſweep down the third part of the ſtars, for you to abide fixed; there hath been in all ages a courſe of the world: the world is a Sea, and every man is a drop emptied into that Sea, and he ſwimeth in it; he is apt to run with the tide: there is a courſe of the world, Eph. 2.2. and in every age of the world there is a ſeveral form of it: foreign, Gal. 1.4. delivered from the preſent evil world: that is the redemption of the Saints to be delivered from the evil world that is preſent, and that way of wickedneſs that is common in their age, &c. Ye ſhall obſerve this in the firſt three hundred years: then the generality of the world, they were the Dragons Angels that made war againſt the woman: but when the woman had brought forth a man-child, and he was advanced into the Throne of God, into the ſtate of the Empire, then preſently the world becomes Chriſtians. In Conſtantines time then Sathan pours out a flood after the woman, the flood of the Arrian hereſie, and then the world became an Arrian, Jerom.totus mundus factus eſt Arrianus, as Jerom complains. This flood being in ſome meaſure dried up, and afterward ſettled in the Sea of Rome, then all the world wonders after Rome: a new Beaſt ariſeth that had two horns like a Lamb, and ſpeaks like a Dragon, and reſerves all the cruelty of the Dragon, but only under a more promiſing, under a more harmleſs and promiſing ſhape; by and by, I ſay, all the world wonders after Rome. And thus you ſhall find men that mind nothing but earthly things, and that uſually that they may enjoy the world, they are thus carried on by the courſe of the world, in all ages; foreign: Juſt. Mart.Iuſtin Mart. Now what ſhall preſerve us? Oh, there is nothing now but keeping cloſe to God, that will keep you unſpotted: In Gen. 6.9,10. Noah walked with God; ſemper incedebat, eratque cum Deo perinde ut homo cum homine amico, Auſt.Auſt. The Schoolmen put the queſtion how it comes to paſs, that the Angels and the ſouls of men in Heaven are impeccant, and without ſin. They anſwer: that it is the Beatifical viſion, they have alwaies God in their eye: viſio Beatifica impotentes reddit ad peccandum: truly, there is nothing in the world that will ſtay the ſoul like to it. If you will be preſerved from the evil of the times, and be upright in a crooked generation, then take heed to walk cloſe with God. It is good for you to draw neer to God. But
Secondly, it is good for you to draw neer to God, when all things elſe withdraw themſelves from you: My Beloved, it is good for a Chriſtian to make ſuch a ſuppoſition as the Prophet Habbakuck doth in Chap. 3.17,18. Though the Fig-tree ſhould notbloſſom, though there be no fruit in the Vine, though the labour of the Olive ſhould fail, and the fields ſhould yield no meat: the flocks ſhould be cut off from the folds, and the Herds from the ſtalls: yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, and I will triumph in the God of my ſalvation. Mark, he doth not only pitch upon thoſe comforts that are rather for complement then neceſſity, but the choiceſt proviſion (as I may ſo ſpeak) of the worlds making; here is the Fig-tree, the Vine, the Olive, the Field, the flock: and he ſaith not, If any of theſe ſhould fail, then they might be recompenced with the labour of the other; but if all theſe ſhould fail together, and conſpire to make man miſerable: and not only to fail in hope, but even what you have already in poſſeſſion. When doth a man think his flocks to be certainer, then in his folds; and his herds, then in his ſtalls? but though the flocks, and the herds ſhould fail; what now will bear up his ſoul? I will rejoyce in God: Oh, it is time to keep cloſe to God; let me tell you, the Land reels to and fro like a Drunkard; ſometimes leanes this way, you know it, and ſometimes that way: truly, when the Land begins to ſink under a mans feet once, foundations ſhake, then it is time for a man to lift up his hands, and to take hold of heaven; reſtat iter coelo: for this will be the great cut to a mans heart when he ſhall be ſhut out of all things here below, as it was with Saul in his agonie: the Philiſtins made war againſt him, and God hides his head; the Philiſtines made war: ſo they did many times before, and Saul got the better; Saul had now an Army in the field. I, but though he had an Army; Saul had loſt his God, the Lord is departed from me, and anſwers me no more. This is the beſt way indeed to keep cloſe to God, it is time to draw neer to God, when all things elſe withdraw themſelves from you.
Thirdly, it is beſt, becauſe if you draw neer to God, God will certainly draw neer to you: he hath promiſed it, in Jam. 4.8. Draw neer to God, and he will draw neer to you: and the approach of God ſumms up all, Gen 15.1. for in his preſence is fulneſs of joy. It is a mighty expreſſion, Rev. 21.7. that he that overcomes ſhall inherit all things. I, and that of our Savtour, Mark 10.30. If a man forſake father and mother, houſe or lands, he ſhall have a hundred fold more in this life: a hundred fold in ſome reſpect, he cannot have an hundred Fathers, or an hundred Mothers, but Interpreters ſay, it is not to be underſtood formaliter, but eminenter: he ſhall have all the comforts in God that theſe could afford him, if they were a hundred times more: Oh then draw neer to God, and God will certainly draw neer to you. But, I but name things.
Fourthly, to draw neer to God is beſt; for by this means you ſhall be preſerved from the evil that other men ſuffer, the evil of ſuffering: The promiſe is in Pſal. 91.10. He that dwelleth under the ſhaddow of the moſt high; no plague ſhall come nigh him: he will give his Angels charge over thee; it notes a conſtant fellowſhip: thou ſhalt be the ſpecial charge that the Angels have I ſhall deſire you but to conſider, the Lord hath projects of providence for his peoples preſervation, as well as for his enemies deſtruction. Noah walked with God, and had an Ark, when the reſt of the world of ungodly men periſhed in the waters; David a man that kept conſtant communion, and we ſee how the Lord owns him in all his tryals and appears for him: upon all the glory there ſhall be a covering; and there are projects of providence beyond the wiſdom of men or Angels; for, the Lord knows how to deliver the juſt from all their trouble, and how to reſerve the wicked to the day of Judgement. Theſe things now I am forced to paſs over.
Laſtly, (and ſo we will haſten to the Application) It is beſt for men to draw neer to God, becauſe a cloſe communion keeps up in a mans ſoul thoſe qualifications as ſhall make every afliction comfortable and eaſie, be the times never ſo bad: for the drawing neer of the ſoul to God, is like the Sun to the earth, which by its heat and perfect influence puts life, vigour, and beauty into things dead and withered before, Cant. 1.12. Communion with God is the ſpring-time of all grace: and therefore I will but name them.
Firſt, Communion with God will keep a mans ſoul in a ſilent humble frame: that was the fruit of Aarons Communion in Levit. 10.3. a great croſs be fell him, he loſt two Sons taken away by an immediate act of Gods hand, even in an act of ſin; yet Aaron held his peace: Aaron held his peace: fellowſhip with God will certainly keep the ſoul in a peaceable ſubmiſſive frame, that be the affliction what it will be, the ſoul ſhall ſay, Gods will is the rule of goodneſs: when Judgement was pronounced againſt Hezekiah, good is the word of the Lord: and Iob, the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away.
Secondly, fellowſhip with God will keep a mans ſoul in a holy independency upon the things below: there is nothing (my Beloved) puts a mans ſoul out of band with the creature like communion: this is the way to have the Moon under your feet, as the expreſſion is: for that in fellowſhip with God, a man that knows what it is to have cloſe communion, knows that he doth really ſet his feet where other men ſet their hearts: it puts the mouth out of taſt to all creature comforts to him; Chryſoſtom foreign, Chryſoſt.though the world were on fire about his ears, yet he hath loſt nothing, for his portion is enough.
In the third place, as a holy independency, ſo a holy magnanimity of ſpirit; he ſhall not think thoſe things great that other men think inſupportable. Ieſus Chriſt endured the Croſs, and deſpiſed the ſhame; and the ſhame of the croſs was the greateſt ſuffering. Why do you weep and break my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but to die for him. Luther.And Luther (I remember) when the enemies gave out that he had recanted, he writes in a Letter of his, that I will never recant: think that I will do any thing rather then recant, be the dangers and threatnings what they will be; they are not careful to anſwer thee in this matter: omnia de me praeſumes praeter fugam, qui odium & impetum totius orbis ſuſtinui: Communion with God keeps up a mans Spirit in this magnanimity.
Laſtly, fellowſhip with God keeps up a mans ſoul in a holy ſelf-ſufficiency: if it be in priſon, God is his enlargement; a good man is ſatisfied from himſelf, Solomon ſaith; ſo as he may enjoy God truly, he is able to ſtand upon the ruines of the world, and ſay, that he hath loſt nothing. Auguſt.I remember it is Auguſtines expreſſion of the Biſhop of Nola. The City was taken and ſacked by the Goths, that he did reaſon with himſelf, having loſt all his eſtate, ſhould he vex himſelf for the loſs of ſilver and gold? domine, ubi omnia mea tu ſcis. Lord, thou knoweſt where all my treaſure is laid up: there is a holy ſelf-ſufficiency in regard of a mans fellowſhip with God. Now this noble diſpoſition, communion with God will alwaies keep alive, and active in the ſoul. Let this ſerve for the Explication of the point. I ſhall borrow but a little time for application, I ſhall not hold you long.
Ʋſe.
I would make but one Uſe of it and no more. To exhort every one to put on Davids reſolutions in the times in which you live, It is good for me to draw neer to God: make it your buſineſs, to keep cloſe, and conſtant to him: truly, I fear many a man in publike employments (I beſeech you lay it to your own hearts, I ſay, I fear many a man) many a godly man in publike imployments his heart runs out ſo much upon the things without him, that he hath cauſe to complain as the Spouſe doth, the Church doth, they made me keeper of the Vine-yards, but my own Vine I have not kept. I am afraid, many in publike employments do much remit their private duties. My Beloved, there is a cloud that hangs over all the Reformed Churches, and we have cauſe to fear, that the ſword is already bathed in their blood, & that great a conſumption is determined upon them all, whether we conſider our fulneſs of ſin, or our fearleſneſs of Judgement.
Firſt, fulneſs of ſin; for we have certainly, after pruning brought forth grapes of Sodom, and cluſters of Gomorrah: truly, I know whatſoever we may ſuppoſe of our ſelves, I know no terms that God offers to creatures but this: if you will not be chaſtiſed of me, I will puniſh you ſeven times more, and ſeven times more till I have deſtroyed you: in decretis ſapientum nulla eſt Litura: And if Gomer begins once to bear, in Hoſ. 1. (you ſee the pedigree of judgement) ſhe will never leave bearing till ſhe hath brought forth Loammi, perfect deſtruction: therefore if you look to the ful-neſs of ſin;
Secondly, If you look to the fulneſs of judgement: truly I may ſay, (though it be ſad to ſay it) Ephraim, England, is a ſilly Dove without a heart; gray haris are here and there, and ſhe knows it not. Conſider (I beſeech you) but the juncture of time into which God hath caſt us. The time of the Witneſſes prophecying in Sackcloth and aſhes draws neer to an end, and they do think by and by to put of their Sack-cloth; and ſo ſome render that expreſſion, when they are about to finiſh their teſtimony: and they thought they ſhould by and by have put off their ſack-cloth and aſhes, and have put on the garments of praiſe and glory; then comes the killing of the Witneſſes This I deſire you to conſider; the killing of the Witneſſes ſhall be ſhortly before Romes ruine, Rev. 11. When they riſe, the tenth part of the City falleth, which is whole Rome: that which now remaineth being but the tenth part of what it was antiently, and therefore doth ſyncronize with Rev. 18. Babylon being caſt in the Sea as a mil-ſtone: We have great reaſon to expect this to be coming on; and then who are they that ſhall eſcape that great tribulation, ſuch as never befell the Chriſtian Churches, forrunning their great delivery: that ſhall ſtand with the Lord, with Palmes in their hands, as tokens of victory? none but thoſe that having gone through great tribulation, have waſhed their garments white in the blood of the Lamb: and that is immediately before the ſeventh Trumpet ſoundeth: and certainly whoſoever ſhall obſerve both the courſe of the Hiſtory, and the courſe of Gods diſpenſation of providence, muſt needs conclude, it is not yet come. Now in this conſideration, how good is it for to take this counſel of the Prophet? It is good for a people to draw neer to God.
But you will ſay to me: how ſhould we draw neer?
A few directions with a word of Exhortation, and I conclude.
There are theſe five Rules that I earneſtly deſire the Lord may write in your hearts, that you may know how the ſoul ought to draw neer to God.
Firſt, be much in the uſe of all Ordinances, for in them you do draw neer, Lev. 10.3,4. God will be ſanctified in thoſe that come neer unto him; you do draw neer in Ordinances: this is the Bed wherein Chriſt and his Spouſe do ſolace themſelves, and enjoy the ſweeteſt of pleaſures: and it is of flouriſhing Ordinances that the Holy-Ghoſt ſpeaks when he ſaith in Cant. 1.16. But yet in all your Ordinances, pray obſerve to take heed that you do mark the ſpecial preſence or abſence of God in them; elſe you may have communion with a duty, when God withdraws himſelf: and know, that Gods withdrawing of himſelf from an Ordinance is a great judgement, when the glory of the Lord departeth: for then our Ordinances will be Wells without water; Breſts without milk: there is a vanity in Ordinances as well as in creatures, if God leave them. But as it is a great judgement; ſo it is the fore-runner of Judgement. Oh that the Lord would ſet on that place upon your hearts, Ezek. 10.2. the Lord ſaith to the Angel, Go take fire from off the Altar, and ſcatter over this City; take fire from off the Altar. If the glory of the Lord depart from the Temple, then the fire of the Altar that before would ſerve to expiate their ſins, will now burn the City, and there is no fire burns ſo hotly as that which is taken from off the Altar. Nay, I deſire you to take this with you, That as you muſt uſe the Ordinances, and obſerve the ſpiritual preſence or abſence of God in them: See
That your Ordinances be pure Ordinances, or elſe they will do you no good: See that they be without humane mixture and ſophiſtication: there is a great deal of vanity and pride in men: for truly, vain man would be wiſe, though he be born like a wild Aſſes colt, and men love to exerciſe their wiſdom in nothing more then in the things of God, and therefore for matter of Ordinances they will pick and chuſe. I deſire you to conſider, and you will find this Rule: The leſs of Gods Order you have, the leſs of Gods preſence, and the leſs of Gods bleſſing. That is the firſt Rule for your drawing neer. Be much in the uſe of all Ordinances. But yet obſerve the ſpiritual preſence, or abſence of God in them.
Secondly, if you will draw neer to God, Walk in a continual fear that God ſhould withdraw himſelf from you. That is another Rule of Communion. Truly, all people that know what belongeth to walking with God, and drawing neer to him, know they muſt be acquainted with ſuch ſpiritual truths: walk in a continual fear of Gods withdrawing of himſelf from you. It was the Churches miſery in Cant. 5. I opened, and my Beloved had withdrawn himſelf: my Beloved had withdrawn himſelf. Auguſt.Auguſtine I remember ſpeaks of a chaſt and of whoriſh fear, a ſinful fear, and he expreſſeth it by the diſpoſition of a Wife, and a Harlot; both ſtand in awe of the Husband, of the man: but (ſaith he) Haec virum timet ne veniat, illa ne deſcedat: one fears leaſt the Hushand will come, the other fears leaſt the Husband will depart; theſe are the diſpoſitions (certainly) of a ſoul that knows what belongs to Communion with God; a man that hath once obtained Communion with God to approach, but afterwards the Lord departs, it is uncertain whether ever he ſhall obtain that approach of Communion again, or no. Bernard.I remember it was Bernards obſervation (and truly it is a ſad one) ſpeaking of thoſe that did fall from their Communion; ſaith he, Perpaucos invenimus qui unquam redeunt ad gradum priſtinum: we ſhall find very few of thoſe that ever obtained their former approach of fellowſhip again: make this your buſineſs, walk in continual fears leaſt the Lord withdraw himſelf.
In the third place; If you would grow in Communion, and draw neer to God, you muſt grow in conformity unto him: for I have told you already, that according as our Conformity is, ſo ſhall our Communion be; ſo I beſeech you obſerve it in Iohn 15.10. Chriſt ſaith to his Diſciples, Keep my Commandments (ſaith he) and abide in my love, as I have kept my Fathers Commandments, and abide in his love: abide in his love; doth our abiding in the love of Chriſt ſtand upon our keeping his Commandments? it is ſpoken here of abiding in the ſenſe and the apprehenſion of his love, walking in the light of his countenance: there is a double love of Chriſt unto the Saints: there is amor benevolentiae & amor complacentiae; there is a love of benovelence, and that is the ground indeed; it is free grace is the ground of all grace whatſoever: this is not grounded upon our conformity to Chriſt, for he loved us when we were enemies. But there is a love of delight, and that is grounded upon the image of God in us, and our conformity unto his: and the Lord ſo much the more delighteth in the creature, as he ſees the more of his image in it. So then, if you would draw neer to God, grow into conformity, and your communion ſhall grow.
In the fourth place; Obſerve the times of fellowſhip: I beſeech you remember this: There are peculiar times when God draws neer to you; molliſsima tempora ſandi: do you then draw neer to God: call upon him while he is neer: that is the expreſſion: the Spirit of God (Tertullian obſerves, Tertullian.res delicata ſpiritus Chriſti) is a delicate thing, a delicate Spirit, eaſily provoked to depart when the Lord knocketh, and offers love, and men will not entertain it. Courtiers have their peculiar times of ſpeaking, when they may have Communion in all their requeſts with grace: Obſerve theſe times, the Lord thus draws neer you; cheriſh as your life theſe ſeaſons of times, and theſe ſweet warblings of the Spirit of grace: obſerve when God draws neer to you. That is a fourth Direction.
And in the laſt place, Take heed of all thoſe ſins that may interrupt your fellowſhip: it is true indeed, every ſin ſeparateth between us and God: and the ſmalleſt ſin, the ſmalleſt body hath its ſhaddow: but yet notwithſtanding there are ſome ſins that in a more peculiar manner break a mans Communion, and hinder a mans comfort. And here let me give you to underſtand, there is a ſin that the Scripture calls a mans iniquity, the ſweet morſel that a man hides under his tongue, and will not forſake: a mans darling, his minion luſt: for as in the new man though there be all grace wrought in a mans heart, yet there be ſome graces that are a mans peculiar excellency, that art more then others. Abrams peculiar excellency was his faith: in Ioſeph, his chaſtity: in Iob, his patience: in David, his ſpirituality: Now ſo it is in the old man, though there be all ſins, yet notwithſtanding ſome luſts act more then others: and the uprightneſs of a mans heart (as David obſerves) lies in this; in Pſal. 18.23. I was upright before thee, and I kept my ſelf from mine iniquity. Now there is no ſin that ingroſſeth the heart like to this; therefore there is no ſin keeps the heart ſo much from Communion with God as this; therefore above all evils, as you do deſire to draw neer to God, ſo take heed above all ſins, keep down the darling corruption: for there is no ſin (I ſay) that ingroſſeth the heart ſo much: there is no ſin that caſteth ſo much ſhame in the face, and takes off the Spirit in all his approaches to God, as this: Then theſe be the Rules that I commend to your conſideration, if you would keep cloſe Communion with God. Be much in the uſe of all Ordinances, walk in a continual fear leaſt God ſhould withdraw himſelf from them. Grow in your conformity, and you ſhall grow in your Communion. Obſerve eſpecially thoſe times when God draweth neer to you. And in a ſpecial manner take care to keep your ſelves from your own iniquity.
To enforce this exhortation, take theſe few conſiderations:
Firſt, you may draw neer to God by reaſon of the neer Relations in which you ſtand to him: the great promiſes of the Goſpel be perſonal promiſes, I will be thy God, and give thee my Son and my Spirit. Now when God makes over himſelf by Covenant unto the creature, its a great ground of our coming to him: had he ſaid I will be to thee a Father or a Husband, &c. it would have but carried with it all the comforts that could have been in ſuch a relation: but when he ſaith, I will be thy God, that is, tant us quantus eſt: what ever there is in God ſhall be as truly thine for thy good, as it is his for his own glory: my mercy to pardon thee, my power to perfect thee, my wiſdom to direct thee: my grace to heal thee, my glory to crown thee, and therefore David called him the God of my mercy, and the God of my life: and your intereſt in him may be a great encouragement to you to draw neer to him.
Secondly, the more a man draws neer to God, the more communion he hath with him, the more he ſhall be acquainted with the ſecrets of God: for communion lies much in imparting of ſecrets. Abraham is called the friend of God: and he had gotten ſuch an intereſt in him, that God can do nothing that he will hide from Abraham, Gen. 18. And Moſes, God will ſpeak to him as a man with his friend ſace to face. 1 Sam. 9.15. The Lord told Samuel in his ear. In this reſpect it may be truly ſaid, the ſecret of the Lord is with them that fear him: and his Urim and Thumim, with his holy ones; theſe lean upon the Lords boſom from day to day, and that is the ſeat of ſecrets as well as of love.
Thirdly, the more a man draws neer to God, the more acceptable will all his ſervices be; and therefore the more Moſes appeared before God, and ſtood in the gap, the more God delighted in him, and he turned away the wrath of God from his people. Job muſt pray for his friends, and the Lord will hear him; though they were godly men, yet they were not contented that it ſhould be only well with them, but they wreſtled with God for others, and God will honour them with the anſwer of prayers, for they that draw moſt neer to God, and God draws neer to them, are the men of his good will; God will ſay unto them, Concerning my ſons, and the works of my hands, command ye me, &c. and therefore Bernard ſpeaking of ſuch times of Communion, Bernard.Dulce commercium, ſed Breve momentum, ſaith he; when it is ſo with a man, then pray for me; cum talis fueris memento mei; for then his prayers will ſurely prevail. Moſes prays, Exod. 32. Lord pardon them, &c. and God repented of the evil he thought to have done to his people, &c. My preſence ſhall go before thee, and I will give thee reſt; Lord ſhew me thy glory; Thou canſt not ſee my face and live, but I will cauſe my goodneſs to paſs before thee: God can in ſuch approaches unto the ſoul deny them nothing.
Fourthly, the more a man ſhall proſper in whatever he doth undertake; Joſeph was a ſucceſsful man in all his undertakings; and the ground of it was, becauſe the Lord was with him, Gen. 39. laſt: he kept conſtant Communion with God: and ſo David in all things that he did he proſpered, for the Lord was with him, 1 Chron. 11.9. Joſh. 5. the ground of all Joſhua's ſucceſs in war was, becauſe the Lord was with him; I know a godly man doth prize his ſervices above his comforts, his work above his wages: as one of the Martyrs ſaid when he came to dye, Nothing did grieve him more, then that he was now going to a place where he ſhould be for ever receiving wages, and never do any more work. Now if you would be employed by God, and would have the Lord to delight to uſe you, and proſper you in your undertakings, keep cloſe to him.
Fifthly, the more fellowſhip you have with God, the more friendſhip you ſhall find among men: Indeed the people of God are commonly the perſons that are moſt evil ſpoken of in the world; the evil eyes of vain men are ſet againſt them and they will do what they can, to render them unſavoury; and they learn from their father the Devil, to caſt aſperſions on them: But yet notwithſtanding, they are the Lords darlings, and are precious in his ſight: the world may throw dirt on them, but it ſhall not ſtick or faſten there: and if it be good for them, they ſhall be delivered from the ſtrife of evil tongues: and in evil times, when dangers come, when the enemy encamps the City, God will give them favour in the ſight of their enemies. God gave Ioſeph favour in the ſight of the Keeper of the priſon, Gen. 39.21. and Ier. 3.9,11. Nebuchadnezar gave charge concerning Ieremiah, a poor man in a danger, when the reſt of the great Princes were not conſidered: and among the godly, they have the higheſt place in their hearts: All my delight is in the Saints, ſaith David. Zach. 8. ten men ſhall lay hold of the skirt of a Iew, becauſe God is with him; Communion with God here is the higheſt pitch of happineſs, next to the beatifical Viſion in glory.
Sixthly: Laſtly, it is the higheſt pitch of happineſs for any people to have God for their God: the People of God make this their great Boaſt, Who is a God like unto our God? and the neerer they come to God, the more they have of him, the fuller is their happineſs: and they are thereby encouraged, becauſe they know that God delights in Communion with them: he calls upon them for it: he proclaims it, to let the world ſee, that he that is God bleſſed for ever, will have his Tabernacle among men: he will walk amongſt them, Rev. 21.4. he calls them Hephzibah, my delight is in them: Communion is the firſt fruit of fruition: therefore the people of God ſhould labour for it: every act of fellowſhip is the morning-ſtar, Rev. 2.21. foreign, and doth aſſuredly tell that the day is approaching: if it be ſo great a matter to have the firſt fruits of glory, what muſt the poſſeſſion be? Conſider what hath been ſaid, and the Lord give you underſtanding in all things.