Thirty-One Select Sermons 2, Sermon collection · Sermon 5
Gods Throne Erect, IN The Aſſemblies of his Saints.
At a Fast.
REV. 4.6.
Round about the Throne were four beaſts full of eyes before and behind, &c.
THE Comma of this Book is ſet forth, Chap. 1.19. write the things that are, and the things that ſhall be hereafter: and into theſe two parts this Book is divided. Firſt, a Relation of the things that are referring to the ſeven Churches of Aſia, Saint Johns ſpecial charge. Secondly, a revelation of the general eſtate of the Church to come, and that from Johns time unto the ſecond coming of the Lord: And this ſecond part begins at Chap. 4. where the Church is made the ſcene of all things propheſied of in this book; the viſion of the Throne, the Beaſt and the Elders, are the repreſentation of the Church where the Lord hath his Throne, of whom are the Judgements executed upon the Churches enemies for the Churches ſake.
The whole ſubject of this Book contains,
Firſt, a repreſentation of the Church upon earth; for there the Lord is worſhipped, for they fall down, and they caſt down their crowns, and they are thoſe that were redeemed by the blood of the Lamb: Chap. 5.9. and the Angels are reckoned as diſtinct from them, Chap. 5.11. they are round about the Throne, and the beaſts, and the Elders; it ſets forth their office, and their watchfulneſs over the Saints in their worſhip.
Secondly, it is a repreſentation of the univerſal Church in all times, and in all places: for Chap. 5.9. they are ſuch as were redeemed out of all Nations, and kindreds, and tongues: therefore all that have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb in the Churches of the New Teſtament, unto them is this Revelation, and them it doth concern.
Thirdly, it is this Church univerſal as it is conſtituted and made up of particular inſtituted Churches; for if we look upon the Church inviſible, it hath no Officers in that, only the Lord Jeſus Chriſt who is the head; and if we look upon the univerſal viſible Church, there are no Officers in it, but here are Elders and Bretheren, Officers and members, which do Conſtitute a particular viſible Church, that do meet together to worſhip God, as being the plat-form into which the Lord would have all the Societies and Congregations of his people gathered together in.
There are in the words three things.
Firſt, a Throne. Secondly, the Beaſts; which are four round about the Throne. Thirdly, the qualifications of theſe Beaſts, they are full of eyes before and behinde.
Firſt, here is a Throne, and there was one that ſtood upon it. Verſe 3. here it is an alluſion to the Tabernacle and the Temple, where the glorious preſence of God amongſt his people was manifeſted: that is plain.
Firſt, from Ier. 17.12. A glorious high Throne is the place of our Sanctuary: and therefore that is reſembled unto the throne of God.
Secondly, it is ſaid Rev. 16.17. there came a voice out of the Temple of heaven from the Throne, ſaying, It is done, &c. therefore a Temple is his Throne, or, his Throne was the mercy-Seat in the Temple, from whence God did manifeſt his preſence to be in the midſt of them.
Thirdly, it will appear by what is ſaid to be before his Throne; the golden Candleſticks with the ſeven lamps of fire and the Sea of glaſs: which was an alluſion unto the laver of braſs in the Temple; all were ornaments or utenſils of the Tabernacle, or the Temple: It is true, that we read of another Throne which ſhall be erected after the thouſand years of Satans binding be accompliſhed, Rev. 20.11. and he who ſtood upon it, was he before whoſe face the Earth and the Heavens fled away, and the dead both ſmall and great did ſtand before him to be Iudged of thoſe things that are written in the Book, according unto their works, and the earth and the Sea gave up her dead, &c. But that is a Throne of Judgement, and this a Throne of Grace: and this ſets forth the preſence of Chriſt in the midſt of his people in Goſpel Ordinances, and Adminiſtrations unto the ſecond coming of the Lord.
Secondly, the four Beaſts ſet forth the people of God incompaſſing the Throne of God, and therefore Pſal. 7.7. the Congregation of his people are ſaid to compaſs him about: it is an alluſion unto the manner of the peoples compaſſing the Mount of God and the Tabernacle in the Wilderneſs, when the 12 tribes did pitch round about the Tabernacle in four ſquadrons, 3 tribes in each of them, as appears Numb. 1.52. and Ch 2 and each of theſe had the images of Beaſts in their Enſigns. Firſt, Iudah & thoſe with him; & their Enſign was a Lyon.
Secondly, Ruben and thoſe with him; and their Enſign was an Ox.
Thirdly, Ephraim and thoſe with him; and their Enſign was the Shape of a man.
Fourthly, Dan and thoſe with him; and their Enſign was the ſhape of an Eagle. And anſwerable unto theſe the Church of God compaſſing the throne of God about, is expreſſed by this Hieroglyfick, the Enſign being put for the tribe, as if we ſhould put the Lyon for England, the Croſs for Scotland, and the Eagle for the Empire, as it is ſaid, Rev. 12.13. the woman was helped with the wings of a great Eagle to flie into the Wilderneſs; Aquila Imperii Romani Inſigne eſt, &c.
Thirdly, theſe Beaſts were full of eyes before and behind, and their wings alſo are full of eyes: it notes unto us that they are perſons excellently skilled in the myſteries of God, they are very knowing Saints, for of ſuch ſhould the Churches of Chriſt be made up; Before and behind, that is, they are all eyes, to ſet forth the greatneſs and compleatneſs of their knowledge in the myſteries of God, and the mind of Chriſt; or before and behind, that is, ſaith Brightman, Bright.they know not only the myſteries of the waies of God that are paſt, but the propheſies of the will of God for time to come: or elſe, their great heedfulneſs in all their waies, ſpecially towards God, they look before to what they are to do, and to the iſſues and conſequences of things that are to come: and they look back upon the experiences they have had of things that are paſt, and they conſult and compare both.
And their wings are ſaid to be full of eyes within: wings do note their readineſs and ſpeed in the Execution of all the duties that God doth require of them; but the duties they do they are not carried to by a blind reſolution only, coeco impetu: but there are eyes in their wings to direct their actions, that whatſoever they do, they do it with wiſdom, and they walk by rule in all their actions, and not at an adventure with God; and their wings are ſaid to have eyes within; that is, though the wiſdom and the reaſon of their actions be not diſcerned by others, yet they have light for what they do in themſelves, they guide their own way, it is the wiſdom of a man that directs his own ſteps, &c. Other men have eyes without, and they can ſee into other mens waies, and to direct them: but they judge not of their own waies, that they may lead them with Judgement: It is an expreſſion like unto that of the Angels, Ezek. 1.8. they are ſaid to have the hands of a man under their wings, &c. which doth note two things.
Firſt, that Angels do all things by a ſecret and inviſible manner: they work mightily, but their hands are not ſeen: they are under their wings; that executive power that is in them is ſecret.
Secondly, that they do all things rationally, they do manage all their works with judgment, that though they flie, and do make haſte in the execution of their Commiſſion: yet, their haſte doth not precipitate their wiſdom, but they manage all things with prudence, even as with the hands of a man: and ſo it is here, they have wings, and therefore are haſty and ſpeedy in their execution of the minde of God, but yet they do all things with wiſdom and judgement; for their wings have eyes within them, they are full of eyes, and there is a great deal of ſpiritual prudence that lies ſecret and hidden in all their adminiſtrations and operations.
Doctrine.
The Lord doth ſit upon a Throne in the middle of his people; Here I will ſhew:
Firſt, that Chriſt is preſent with his people, with the Churches upon earth unto the end of the world.
Secondly, he is preſent with them, as upon a Throne.
Thirdly, ſhew you the grounds or the reaſons of this his preſence. And,
Fourthly, make an application thereof unto our ſelves.
Firſt, that there is a preſence of Chriſt wth the Church: that there was ſuch a preſence with the Church of the Jews, that is plain, Levit. 26.11,12. the Lord ſaies, My Tabernacle ſhall be with you, and I will walk amongſt you, &c. the Tabernacle was the place where the worſhip of God was ſet up, and it was the place of his preſence, and a ſpecial ſign of his preſence; and his walking there, notes a continual reſidence there, as he ſaith of Sion, here will I dwell for ever, this is my reſt, for I have deſired it: and this is applyed by the Apoſtle unto the Churches of the New Teſtament, 2 Cor. 6.16. Ye are the Temple of the living God: it is not there ſpoken of them as particular perſons, though it be true that the bodies of the Saints are called, the Temples of the Holy-Ghoſt; of each particular Saint; but it is ſpoken there of them as a Church, as a people embodyed, and the Lord ſaith, they ſhal have a ſpecial preſence amongſt them, even as there was a ſpecial preſence of God in the Temple; and therefore Chriſt is ſaid to go down into the Garden to feed in it, and to gather Lillies: as Cant. 6.2. for as a garden encloſed, is my beloved unto me. Chap. 4.12. and the ſame courſe and walk does the Lord keep ſtill, Rev. 21.3. Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he dwels with them: and God himſelf will be with them and be their God, &c. he walks in the middle of the ſeven Golden Candleſticks, and they are the ſeven Churches, and ſo twill be in the latter daies, &c.
Secondly, the preſence of the Lord is as the preſence of a King upon his throne: there is a throne of Chriſt upon the Firmament over the heads of the living creatures, which ſets forth the authority and ſoveraignty that Chriſt hath over the Angels which act the wheels, and by whom all things are governed; they have the ſpirit within them, and his voice without them, Ezek. 1.26. for the throne of Chriſt is exalted above all the Angels of God, above all principalities, and powers, and dominion, and every name that is named, &c. but this is a throne of Chriſt in the Heavens; but there is a throne of Chriſt (as upon the Firmament) ſo there is his throne and his Sanctuary alſo, and that is the preſence here ſpoken of.
Firſt, it is a throne of glory and majeſty; the Throne, the Scepter, and the Crown, are inter regalia, that belong unto the royalty of the great King; all theſe belong unto Chriſt; the Crown, he is crowned with glory, and honour, and he hath a Scepter, which is ſometimes the Word, Pſal. 110.2. and ſometimes the Sword, Ezek. 21.10. what if it deſtroy the King, and reach unto the greateſt amongſt men? for judgement ſhall in a ſpecial manner reach them, Verſe 14. It was part of Solomons glory, that he built unto himſelf a high throne of Ivory; and a King ſitting upon this throne appears in his glory: and therefore at the laſt day, when that great white throne of Chriſt ſhall be erected, Rev. 20.11. it is ſaid of him, that he ſhall ſit upon the throne of his glory, and therefore Ezek. 10.4. and the glory of the Lord went up from the Chimney, and ſtood over the threſhold of the houſe, and the houſe was filled with the cloud, &c. and ſo there is in the middle of his people, 2 Cor. 3. ult. we beholding as in a glaſs the glory of the Lord; there is that diſcovery of Chriſt to be glorious amongſt his people, as there is nowhere in the world beſide; they ſee he is altogether lovely: they can ſee a beauty and an excellency in him above all the world; they are able to deſcribe him in his glory from head to foot; when other men ſay, What is thy beloved, there is no beauty or comlineſs in him, that he ſhould be deſired: now as the Lord did to Moſes when he did deſire him, ſhew me thy glory, the Lord cauſeth his goodneſs to paſs before him: and ſo Iob 42.5. Now my eyes ſee thee, &c. it was ſuch a diſcovery of glory as he never had before, and ſo it was with Iſa. 6.34. and ſo Rev. 22.4. they ſhall ſee his face, and his name ſhall be writ in their fore-heads: as in Heaven the habitation of his holyneſs and glory, there are ſuch diſcoveries given forth of God, which alſo are voluntary, and in ſuch a degree as he pleaſeth; for there is a Lumen gloriae, as well as gratiae, that is, from the ſpirit of illumination; and as God is pleaſed to diſcover more or leſs of his glory, ſo have the Saints in heaven more or leſs glory; for their glory conſiſts in viſion, the more they ſee of him, the more they enjoy him, and the more they are made like unto him: ſo it is in this life alſo: there is a Viſion of faith, and it is more or leſs according unto the different degrees of the Spirit of illumination, Eph. 1.17. and it is this revelation of Chriſt that is the ground of believing in him, Ioh. 6.40. he that ſees the ſon and believes in him; and ſo Iſaiah ſawe his glory and ſpake of him, Ioh. 12.41. There are different diſcoveries made unto the ſouls of the Saints of the excellency of his perſon, the King in his beauty: the all ſufficiency of his righteouſneſs, the glory of his holineſs, the fulneſs of his ſpirit, the compleatneſs of his victories, &c. We ſee what a common work did to Balaam, and how mightily it affected him and tranſported him: how much more then a ſaving and a ſupernatural work upon the ſouls of the Saints? the viſion of Chriſt in his glory will be much illuſtrated: as it is by a diſcovery of ſin in its filthyneſs, when the Lord ſets a mans ſin in order before him: the Law entred that the offence might abound, Rom. 7. not to make it to be more then it is, for the Law adds no evil unto ſin, but it diſcovers it, that a man ſees it to be the moſt hateful thing, that which before he loved more then his life, and could venture all to attain it; now he would give any thing to be rid of it: ſo there is a viſion of Chriſt that is manifeſted unto his people in the Goſpel, by which they are really and ſpiritually affected, and carried out into love and admiration of him, the vail of the covering that is upon all fleſh, being taken away; and according to the reality and fulneſs of this diſcovery, ſo doth a mans affections riſe towards him, Ioh. 14.21. I will manifeſt my ſelf to him: he had a manifeſtation before, but he ſhall have a further manifeſtation; for the Lord doth ariſe in the ſoul as the Sun of Righteouſneſs, as the morning; his goings forth are prepared, as the morning that ſhines more and more unto the perfect day; and the more of the glory of Chriſt is diſcovered in the Goſpel, the more the man doth ſee the King upon his Throne; for he doth ſit upon a Throne of glory in the middle of his people; as it is with ſin, there is a rational conviction of ſin, and that is light without heat; and ſo there is a rational revelation of Chriſt, that will harden the heart, but will never melt it: as there are Conſolations from men taken out of the word, but they will never ſatisfie the ſoul: ſo there are diſcoveries of Chriſt from men, which is but by the hearing of the ear; but there is a ſight of him, and it is that only doth affect the heart, &c.
Secondly, it is a throne of ſoveraignty; a throne doth belong to a King, and ſo is a note of ſupream authority: ſo in the government of the Angels, the voice that commands them is from the throne that is in the Firmament over their heads, Ezek. 1.25. ſo doth the Lord ſit upon his throne, and all his people are gathered about him, that they may ſit down at his feet and receive his Law, Deut. 33.3. and he gives Laws unto the conſciences of men, for the word is mighty in operation, and ſharper then a two-edged ſword, dividing between the joynts and the marrow, and diſcerns the ſecret intentions of the heart, Heb. 4.12. The efficacy of the Law depends upon the authority of the Law-giver: and therefore till that be ſeen, the Law is of no power: when a man doth ſee that it comes from him that is Lord of the conſcience, and Judge of the conſcience: as what is the reaſon that at the day of Judgement the conſcience ſhal be ſpecially awakened, to accuſe, or excuſe men, Rom. 2.15,16. it is becauſe then the majeſty of the Law-giver ſhall be then moſt gloriouſly ſeen, and in the authority of the Law giver lies the efficacie of the Law: that as upon Mount Sinai the mountain did ſhake when the Lord did utter his voice; ſo there ſhall be a ſhaking and a terrour ſtruck into the hearts of men; they ſhall have a dread and an awe upon them of that Majeſty and authority from whence it comes, though before they regarded it not. It is wonderful to ſee the impreſſions that are made upon the ſouls of unregenerate men by this authority, when they have but a glimps from a common work of this King upon his Throne. Oh how it damps luſt, brings down ſtrong holds of ſin, overcomes all their reaſonings, and unſettles a mans former ſinful peace, that the bed is too ſhort, and the covering too narrow: the man cannot lie down as formerly under a refuge of lies; his ſweet morſels now are not ſweet to him, but his mouth is filled with gravel. As to have ſeen the River Iordan to run backward in its own channel: and to ſee the Sun to go back in its own orb, it was a mighty word that muſt do this; to ſee that the fire could not burn in the furnace of Babylon, and yet their natures with their natural properties ſtill to be continued: even ſo mighty a work there is upon the ſouls of unregenerate men: but for a Law to come forth from the Lord, and that very word to be written upon the heart, and to be put in there as an indelible character never to be blotted out, though indeed ſin may ſoyl it and blur it, yet it can never be blotted out nor obliterate, 2 Cor. 3.2,3 that the conſcience ſhall ſtand in awe of it, that a man ſhall not dare do any thing that is contrary to it, as Pſal. 119. My heart ſtands in awe of thy word: that though he had never ſo great an inclination within, and never ſo violent temptations without, that he cannot get the authority of it off from his ſpirit: and not only to do this by force, but willingly and cheerfully: thy Commandments are my delight, that he loves the Law of God, and delights in it according unto the inward man; if a man ſhould come and ſpeak to a Marble, and with his voice thereby words ſhould be written, ſo that they could never be blotted out again, we would ſay this were a mighty voice; there is the ſame power put forth when the Lord Jeſus is in the middle of his people, giving Laws unto their conſciences as the King upon his Throne: when the Law comes from Chriſt upon his throne, it puts a kind of moral impoſſbility upon the man, that he ſaies, How can I do this great wickedneſs and ſin againſt God! we can do nothing againſt the truth, but for the truth; we cannot but ſpeak the things that we have heard and ſeen; there is an inward impulſe of ſpirit that a man cannot do otherwiſe: as it is in the Law of ſin, it doth ſo command the man, that the man cannot do otherwiſe, becauſe there is a Law within him, and that hath the commanding power over the man, that though ſometimes they would ſtrive or give any thing it were otherwiſe, yet they cannot reſiſt it, there is amoral impotency, he is not able to reſiſt the doing of evil.
Thirdly, it is a Throne of grace, and therefore it is commonly ſo called, Heb. 10.22. Let us come with boldneſs unto the throne of grace; a King upon his throne doth pronounce pardon and give gifts: and therefore when the Lord Jeſus did enter into his glory, and take poſſeſſion of his Kingdom, thed he did ſhed abroad his Spirit abundantly: but it did come from the King upon his throne: then he doth delight to give gifts as a King, and to ſhew mercy as a King.
Firſt, ſitting on his throne he doth diſpence the greateſt gifts from it; it is from his preſence in his Ordinances that he doth diſpence the ſpirit, Rev. 4.5.14. the ſeven ſpirits are before the throne: it is not ſpoken of the perſon of the Spirit, for that is but one, but of the gifts of the ſpirit, which becauſe they are many, therefore for their variety, their multiplicity, and their perfection are ſaid to be ſeven ſpirits: therefore there they are to be diſpenced by Chriſt at his pleaſure: but it is as he ſits upon the throne, that he doth it, Rev. 2.21. The River of the water of life clear as Chryſtal, proceeded out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb: By this all light is meant; for Doctrine is compared unto water, as corrupt doctrine to a flood, Rev. 12. and alſo all grace is compared unto water, Rev. 4.6. there was before the throne a Sea of glaſs clear as Chryſtal: ſo now it is cleared again; thoſe Doctrines that had been mudded and darkned under Popery, and by all the ſmoak that ariſes out of the bottomleſs pit: now they begin to clear again, and there is no mudd in them, &c. the ſpirit is given by the hearing of faith, Gal. 3.2. that is by the preaching of the doctrine of faith: for faith is there put for the doctrine of faith, as alſo that place, contend earneſtly for the faith that was once given to the Saints: it is therefore in vain for men to expect ſpiritual gifts and graces anywhere elſe: for it is only from the King upon his throne: and the ſeven ſpirits are only to be found before the throne; if a man had gone into any other Pool then Betheſda, and expected the moving of the water, it had been no wonder if he had returned aſhamed: and if the Iſraelites will go out to gather manna upon the Sabboth day, when the Lord told them it ſhould not fall, it is no wonder if they found none: and ſo it is with all that will go out of Gods way, and Chriſts way, and yet will expect the influences of the ſpirit, and that the Angel ſhould move the waters, and that they ſhall find manna, though the Lord hath told them the contrary, &c. they ſhall but ſow the wind and reap the whirlwind.
Secondly, it is upon a throne that he doth grant pardon, Zech. 6.13. he ſhall be a Prieſt upon his throne: both the offices of a King and Prieſt ſhall meet in one perſon, and they ſhall both concur unto the ſame eminent and glorious ends, which ſhall be peace: both the making of peace and the ſpeaking of peace; as the Prieſt under the Law was to offer the ſacrifice to procure peace; and as King he doth ſpeak peace, he ſends a Meſſenger one of a thouſand to declare to a man his righteouſneſs: if a man had a pardon from a thouſand ſubjects, it would do him no good; but when the King ſitting upon his throne, ſhall give him a pardon, then he ſaith, that his ſoul is delivered from going down into the pit; when a man comes into the preſence of Chriſt, and ſees his glory, and hath a diſcovery made to him, and he ſees his name written in the heart of Chriſt, though Chriſt come as a Judge ſitting upon his throne, and his ſoul is ſet before him, either to be accuſed or condemned, and Chriſt ſaith, be of good cheer, thy ſins be forgiven: eat thy meat and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God accepts thy works: let his ſoul be delivered from death, for I have found a ranſom: hereupon, the man revives, and his fleſh comes again as the fleſh of a young child: and he doth return unto the dayes of his youth, and walks no more drooping under his own darkneſs, that made his ſtrength decay, and made him grow old in his youth: now he grows young when he is old; renews his ſtrength as the Eagle: and Rev. 16.17. the voice from the throne ſaies, It is done.
Fourthly, it is a Throne of Judgement; for out of the throne comes thunderings, and lightenings, and voices, Rev. 4.5. there do not only mercies and graces aſcend upon the Saints, but there are alſo very terrible things againſt the enemies of Chriſt, and theſe Judgements are either temporal, or ſpiritual: either upon the enemies of Chriſt, or upon the Saints.
Firſt, upon the enemies of Chriſt there are great Judgements that proceed out of the throne: he did deliver Iudas unto Satan in an Ordinance, when he ſtood upon his throne, and ſo he doth bind men over unto wrath: for his ſitting on this throne of Iudgement, is but a praeludium to the Iudgement that he ſhall pronounce againſt his enemies in the great day, Iſa. 6.10. Go, make the hearts of this people fat, and make their ears heavy: of all Iudgements none are like ſpiritual Iudgements. And alſo great temporal Iudgements, Rev. 8.3,5. there was a golden Altar before the throne, and from the incenſe offered upon that Altar, there came forth thunderings, and lightenings, and voices, and earth-quakes, &c. this is all the Trumpets of Iudgement that ſounded againſt the Churches enemies, they did all come forth of the throne; though the prayers of the Saints did procure them; and all the ruines and over-throws that ever have befalen the enemies of Chriſt, and the Goſpel, have proceeded from this throne, when God is exalted amongſt his people; and let us comfort our ſelves with this, the Lord raigns for ever: he doth ſtill ſit upon the ſame throne of Iudgement, and therefore ſo long as he ſits upon his throne, he will ſcatter away every evil thing, as it is ſaid, Prov. 20.8. A King that ſitteth on his throne of Iudgement, ſeatters away all evil with his eyes, &c. let what enemies there will ariſe, they ſhall fall by the thundring, and lightning, and voices that come from this throne.
Secondly, againſt Gods own people: for, his throne is eſtabliſhed by righteouſneſs, and therefore he will not ſpare his own people when he is in the middle of them: but as he doth delight himſelf in their graces, and therefore loves to be in the middle of them: ſo he will puniſh their corruptions alſo: and there are ſome ſpiritual Iudgements for them alſo, Rev. 2.4,5. Yet I have ſomething againſt thee, becauſe thou haſt loſt thy firſt love, and I will come againſt thee quickly except thou repent, and will remove thy Candleſtick from thee: which is the greateſt ſpiritual Iudgement that can befall a people; that though they that were godly, ſhould continue godly ſtill, and they could never be caſt out of the number of the inviſible Church, yet they ſhall be looked upon as a viſible Church unto Chriſt no more, but he will take away the Ordinances, and will depart from them, and they ſhall fade away in their iniquities: and ſo for temporal Iudgements alſo, as ſickneſs, yea and temporal death, it is a ſentence that the Lord Ieſus doth pronounce from his Throne, 1 Cor. 11.30. For this cauſe many of you are ſick and weak, & many of you fall afleep; & yet they are therein chaſtiſed of the Lord, that they might not be condemned with the world: it is done in mercy, and not in wrath; in much compaſsion unto their ſouls doth the Lord lay affliction upon their bodies, yea even unto death it ſelf: for they that are embraced with everlaſting loving kindneſs, may ſometimes dye under a temporal diſpleaſure, as it ſeems Ioſiah did, and ſo have many other Saints.
Vſe.
Firſt, be exhorted to ſee Chriſt as preſent upon the throne: for without this you come not to him, but unto the duty: he doth call unto you, behold me, behold me: that worſhip that is terminated in any thing below him, is a falſe worſhip; and that faith alſo that doth not raiſe the ſoul up to him, is a feigned faith: but what are the ſigns of his preſence? how ſhould a man know whether he be preſent or no? theſe three things being premiſed, you may try whether you have ever found him thus preſent, &c.
Firſt, the Lord is preſent unto no unregenerat men in their duties: they that live without God, do pray without God, and they faſt without God: therefore they muſt firſt deſire his preſence unto their converſion: for as I have often told you, an unregenerate mans ſervices are no more accepted by God, then when he ſwears, or lyes, &c. for his ſervices proceed from the ſame principle that his ſins do, &c.
Secondly, God is not alwaies preſent unto the Saints, but he doth ſometimes withdraw himſelf, as the Spouſe complains, My beloved hath withdrawn himſelf, they ſeek him, but they find him not, he doth hide his face, and he doth cover himſelf with a cloud, that though they ſeek the Lord, yet he is a ſtranger unto them, if they walk in the waies of ſin, &c.
Thirdly, even when he is preſent to the Saints, yet he is not preſent to all of them in the ſame meaſure: ſome have a fuller preſence of God, and a clearer diſcovery; as ſome have a clearer Revelation of his mind, ſo ſome have a clearer diſcovery of his preſence then others in this life: and it is ſo with the Saints even in glory, that they behold his face continually; yet they have divers degrees of glory: ſome have a more full and perfect diſcovery of God then others have.
When God is preſent to the Saints here;
Firſt, the heart will be over-awed; there is nothing will over awe the heart but Gods preſence; how dreadful is this place, ſaies Iacob; he had a diſcovery of God to him as preſent with him, and it made the very place fearful to him; the heart of man is very fearleſs of God naturally; when a man doth come into the preſence of God without Conſideration, and goes out of his preſence without fear, it is a ſign that God was not preſent.
Secondly, if God be preſent, thy heart will be carried out to loath thy ſelf; for he that ſees God in his glory, will ſurely abhor himſelf in duſt and aſhes. Iob 42.5,6. and will ſee himſelf undone: there is no ſoul that ever enjoyed the preſence of God, but it makes him nothing of himſelf; and ſo do the glorious Angels in heaven; God is all in all unto them, and they are in themſelves nothing.
Thirdly, if the Lord be preſent with thee, thy heart will fall in love with him, and thou wilt be carried out in admiration of him: when a man ſees the beauty of God and his glory in the Sanctuary, a man would dwel there for ever, he would dwel in the houſe of the Lord all the dayes of his life converſing with God, and he would not be weary, but it is weariſom to converſe with duties only: Moſes was not weary when he was in the Mount converſing with God 40. daies, his heart was ſo taken up with him: and the reaſon why men love him no more, and are no more carried after him, is, becauſe they ſee him no more; and the Saints in heaven therefore are carried after him more then we are, becauſe they have more of his preſence.
Fourthly, he that ſees God preſent ſitting upon his Throne, will ſurely fear to ſin againſt him; therefore all ſinners caſt God behind their back, they cannot ſin elſe; he that ſees God alwaies preſent and walks before him, he dares not tranſgreſs, he is ſtill in the ſight of the Iudge: he muſt draw the curtain that offends but in the ſight of a temporal Iudge, as he did before his fathers picture: therefore the Angels ſouls in heaven are impeccable, becauſe they have alwaies a living and bleſſed preſence of God with them, that they cannot turn aſide unto any thing elſe, being in this infinitely ſatisfied, &c.
Fifthly, it would make a man ſincere before him; open thy heart, for thou art in his preſence that knows the heart, and weighs thy actions, and ponders they pathes, and if we could hide it before men, there is no hiding of it before him: he ſits upon his Throne that ſhall be thy Iudge: ſo much hypocriſie as there is in any man in duty, and the more any man doth cover his ſin before God, the leſs of his preſence is with that man; it is dangerous to compaſs God about with lyes, and when a mans heart doth not fulfill after his lips, but in his confeſſions and ſupplications hath reſerves: God will make his preſence terrible to ſuch a man.
Sixthly, where Chriſt is preſent, the ſoul is unwilling to part with him: it holds him, and it would not let him go: it ſaies, Oh that he might be with me alwaies, it is good to be here; the impreſſion of thy preſence, I will have it ever more kept in the heart of thy ſervant, and the ſoul is carried after him to ſeek his face, and there is nothing elſe will ſatisfie him: and he fears nothing ſo much as his departing, his ſoul withers with the thought of it; but if thou findeſt none of theſe, yet Chriſt is preſent when the ſoul mourns for the want of him, and groans after him; he puts in his finger at the hole of the door, and my heart failed when he ſpake; that a man cannot be quiet if he find him not: now he will after him again, and is reſtleſs till he find him; there is a preſence of Chriſt, though the ſoul diſcern it not: for it is this makes the ſoul follow hard after him.
Vſe. 2.
Anſwer the great ends of his preſence amongſt his people.
Firſt, the Lord is preſent to manifeſt his love to you, Cant. 7.12. Come my beloved, let us go forth into the field, let us remain in the Villages; there will I ſhew thee my love.
Secondly, to enjoy communion with you, for the Tabernacle of the Lord is with men, and he will dwell with them.
Thirdly, that your graces may flow forth, Cant. 1.12. and that he may delight himſelf in the fruit of his own pleaſant things.
Fourthly, that he may improve your graces and perfect them.
Fifthly, that you may be acquainted with him, and may know the way of approach to him, Iob 21.22. it is being accuſtomed to come to him as to a friend, there is an opening of heart and imparting of ſecrets.
Sixthly, That by this taſte you may long for his appearance: for all grace here is but firſt fruits of glory, and ſo is all Communion: it is but to give you a taſt, that you as ſearchers of the good land, having taſted the fruit of it, your hearts may be the more ſet upon a full enjoyment: if the glimps of his preſence be ſo ſweet, what is his continual preſence, which is fulneſs of joy and pleaſures for evermore?