The Greatest Sinners Exhorted and Encouraged, Question 2 – Part 6
We proceed 2ly to enquire, How it does appear that it is good for every man to draw near to God?
ANSW. Several things may be mentioned which are clear Demonstrations of the Truth and Doctrine now before us.
1. To be separated from God, is the greatest Evil. Therefore to draw near to Him, must needs be good. Its a dismal thing to be banished out of the Lord's presence. Hos. 9. 12. Wo unto them when I depart from them! A greater wo than that there never was, nor can there be. When the Sun withdraweth nothing but darkness follows. A great Part of the Punishment of the of the Apostate Angels, is in their being Eternally separated from the face and savour of that God which made them. Guilty, trembling Cain thought his punishment intolerable in this respect. Gen. 4. 13. Cain said unto the Lord, my punishment is greater than I can bear. Why, how so? ver. 14. From Thy face I shall be hid. Verily, The damned in hell have not a greater punishment than that infiicted on them. Mat. 25. 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire. The first and sadest word in that dreadful Sentence is, DEPART from ME. There is more of Terrour in that, than in all the Fire and Brimstone of hell. In God's Favour is Life, and His loving kindness is better than life: Therefore to be cast out of his Favour is worse than any Death. And if so, To have Communion with Him is the greatest happiness. For,
2. God is the Chief Good. There have been great disputes among those whom the world has accounted wise men, about the Chief Good. Austin observes that there were no less than two hundred eighty eight Opinions amongst the old Philosophers about the Chief Good. But we are are sure, that there is no Chief Good but God only. The young Noble-man in the Gospel did not know that Christ was God, and therefore when he called Him good, the Lord said to him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but One, that is God. Matth. 19. 17. There is no Chief Good but God. He is infinitly good: He is an alsufficient good. His Name is El-Shaddai: h. e. the God who is sufficiency. He has enough in Himself to satisfie his own infinite Self: And therefore more than enough to satisfie all creatures, whatever the wants, whatever the desires of of the souls of men may be; there's enough in God to satisfie them all. God is a Ʋniversal Good; so that it is impossible for a man to be miserable, if he hath God. This, doubtless was the reason why Jacob said, I have all. Gen. 33. 9. It is translated, I have enough, but that was no more than Esau said: The Hebrew Expression is, Jeshli-Col, h. e. To me there's all. viz. because of his interest in God. Though a soul should have nothing else, If he hath God, he hath enough, he has all. All outward losses are easily made up in God. Hence our Lord said, There is no man that hath left house, or Brethren, or Sisters, or Father or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or Lands for My sake & the Gospel's, but he shall recieve an hundred fold now in this time. Mar. 10. 30. Why! he shall have that Comfort in GOD which all these Creatures could afford, and a hundred times more. The Cheif good is eminently all good. So that tho a man should loose all his worldly possessions, if he has drawn near to God, he may truly say, I have lost nothing: he may stand upon the ruins of the whole world, and say I have lost nothing. And therefore may rejoice in all afflictive Changes and Bereavements. Hab. 3. 17. 18. Although the fig tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vine, the labour of the Olive shall fail, and the field shall yeild no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my Salvation. Observe how full and particular the Prophet's Expressions are: here is the Fig tree, and the Olive tree, and the Vine, and the Field, and the Flock, and the herd, if one of these should fail, relief might be hoped for from another of them; nay, Nay but, saith he, though they should all fail, though all creatures in the world should fail, God will never fail, and there's Comfort enough in that: happiness is in the Fruition of HIM.
3. To draw near to god, is the way to be delivered from evil. The NAME of the LORD is a strong Tower which the Righteous run into and are safe. In evil Times God is good to Israel. Let what will happen in the world, they that draw near to him are safe. The Wiseman saith, surely I know that it shall go well with them that fear God. Eccles. 8. 12. Such as are very careful to walk with God, do sometimes experience wonderful Temporal Preservations: As we see in Noah, unto whom God said, Come thou and all thine house into the Ark, for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. And in the Prophet Jeremie, whose very life was struck at & sought after, and that by the great Ones of the world, but God hid him: he appeared for God, and God appeared for him. So He does often for his servants that keep in with Him. He is to them a very present Help in the time of Trouble. He shall hide them in the secret of his Presence from the pride of men, and keep them secretly in a Pavillion from the strife of tongues. However they shall have Spispiritual Preservations: The Lord will deliver them from every evil work, and will preserve them to his heavenly Kingdom. And if a Christian be grieved with inward, perplexing Thoughts, by drawing near to God, he may obtain help against them. This was the case of the Psalmist. as the Context sheweth: he was almost gone: his unbelieving thoughts had like to have been too hard for him: but he went into the Sanctuary, and there by drawing nigh to God in prayer, and hearing of His Word, he got the victory over his Temptations, and a further Establishment in the wayes of God. All his Temptations issued in this, that he was made more sensible of his own infirmity, and had a more clear Discovery of Divine grace. This did he get by drawing near to GOD.
4. Communion with God, is a most sweet and comfortable thing to a gracious soul. Indeed Unregenerate men do not think so, because they never had Experience of it, but they that know what comunion with God meanes, have found Sweetness and Delight therein which cannot be expressed. Hence David could say, One day in Thy Courts, is better than a thousand else-where. Psal. 84. 10. Excellent was the Reply of a Noble Protestant, when the Papists tempted him with offers of money to forsake the Truth, and to turn Papist, Let that man's money perish with him, that does not prize one hours Communion with God, above all the gold and silver in the world. Communion with God in hearing his Word is sweet. Hence the Church faith of Christ, His mouth is most sweet, Cant. 5. 16. When a Promise is set home upon the soul by the Spirit of God, how sweet is it! Or, when a man has been in great doubts and darkness about his spiritual estate, or concerning his way and Duty, but some word of God does enlighten and direct him, how sweet is it! what refreshing does his soul within him find! The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart, sweeter also than the honey and the honey comb. Psal. 19. 8, 10. And Communion with God in Prayer is sweet, Isai. 56. 7. I will make them joyful in my house of prayer. Some of God's Children have found that Joy & Comfort therein, as to make them forget their outward Afflictions. A holy man once having buried a Child who was dear to him, after he had gone and poured out his soul before God in secret, was chearful, an intimate Friend enquirng the reason, he gave this Answer, I could be content to bury a child every day, on condition that I might meet with as much of God every day as I have done this day.
5. The soul that draweth near to God, is betterd thereby. Many times consolation followes thereon, but if not, that which is better than Comfort h. e. More Holiness is the fruit of sincere approaches unto God. Never any man did draw nigh to God after a right manuer but he was the more holy for it. The more Communion men have with GOD, the Less Communion they will have with Sin. Every Act of real Communion with God tends to mortification of sin. This is one reason why the Saints in glory become impeccable. The Beatifical Vision makes them that they cannot sin. The more intimacy of Communion with God any soul shall attain unto, the more like will he be to God. Amongst men, he that shall converse much with another, will be apt to be like to him, and to drink in something of his spirit with whom he holds a free and familiar Conversation; So they that converse much with God, will surely become more like to him than what can be said of any other men. When Moses had near and intimate Communion with God in the mount, Divine Impressions were left upon his face: So are there upon the face of that soul which shall be much in Communion with God. 2. Cor. 3. 18. Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
6. All the Saints of God have found it good for them to draw near to Him. So that Universal Experience proves the Truth of my Doctrine: As tis said in Job. To which of the Saints wilt thou turn thee? So I say, ask any of them whether it be not so, and they will every one of them answer and say as the Psalmist heroe does, It is good for mee to draw near to God. Enquire of them, You have been at the Lord's Table, but did you ever find it good to be there? they'le say, we have met with God there, and we never met with him, but we found it good for us. Enquire again, Have you not found it good to draw near to God in the word and prayer? and they will give the same Answer. Some of them have spent many whole dayes in secret prayer to God, and some of these have they found to be like dayes of Heaven. How has the great God condescended to reveal Himself to His servants after a wonderful manner, when drawing near to Him in that Duty! It is related concerning that eminent Saint Mr. Brewen, that not long before his death, he had such enlargements in his Closet-Duty as made him wholly regardless of this lower world. Once when his near Relation told him she feared he had injured himself by his rising so early, he replyed, If you had seen such glorious things as I saw this morning in private praer with God, you would not have said so; for they were so wonderful and unspeakable, that whether I was in the body, or out of the body with Paul I cannot tell. This indeed was extraordinary: But where is there a godly man, but he can truly say, he hath found that of God in Secret Prayer which he would not be without for all this world? And if we could speak with the Saints in glory, They would every one of them say It is good for me to draw near to God. As Peter said when he saw Christ transfigured on the holy Mount, It is good for us to be here. So do the Saints in heaven say, Here we have our fill of Communion with God, It is good for us to be here. This is the Heaven of Heaven it self. A life of uninterrupted Communion with God, that's Heaven. Phil. 1. 23. To be with Christ which to far better. There's marvellous Rhetoric in that expression: [pollo mallon kreiston] It is much more better: The Apostle useth Comparative upon Comparative, which riseth higher than the superlative degree. Nothing is better, nothing is so good as to live a life of everlasting Communion with God and with Jesus Christ. One well saith, that The Saints in glory are alwayes experienting, and yet ever learning this Truth to Eternity.
USE. 1. It is matter of heart-bleeding Lamentation, that there are so few who draw near to God. Alas, how many are there that content themselves to live in a state of estrangement from God! They are Aliens to the Life of God, yea to a life of Communion wirh Him. The natural man knoweth not what it is to have Communion with God: All our Communion with God in this World is in some Ordinance or other, either Prayer, or Meditation, or Hearing the Word, or Reading, or in some other Ordinance, but are not these neglected? Church-Fellowship and the Lord's Supper are Divine institutions: It is lamentable to consider that so many of the rising Generation, do neither prize nor prepare themselvs for such enjoyments, they sin grievously against the hope of their Fathers. For our Fathers came into this Wilderness for …o other end, but only that so they might build a Sanctuary for the Name of God, and enjoy Communion with Him therein. Now that their Children after them should so many of them be careless about things of this Nature, is a Lamentation and shall be for a Lamentation. And are there not more than a few, that live in the neglect of prayer? Ah ungodly souls! The Scripture saith, every one that is godly shall pray. Psal. 32. 6. He then that liveth without prayer, has no godliness, no grace in his soul. Are there not some that don't so much as pray in their Families? Men may make excuses for such neglects if they will, but there is a Scripture which falls upon them like a Thunderbolt of Death, and they cannot escape it, I mean that in Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury upon—the Families which call not on Thy Name. If there be a prayerless Family in Boston, if there be a prayerless Family in New-England (as alas there are many) let them look to it, for the Fury of the Almighty is ready to be poured out upon them. Others there are who neglect Closet Prayer. Verily, I cannot see how such a man can have the true fear of God in his heart, that does in his ordinary Course live a whole day together without secret Communion with God.
ƲSE. 2. For Exhortation
Let me… yea, let every man be so good to …self as to draw near to God. Consider the …ent Times call for this. It's a dark and cloudy day: Without doubt there is a gracious day of Mercy & Salvation to the Church of God near at hand. It may from Scripture and H…tory be demonstrated that the Twelve hundred and sixty years allowed for the Beast's C…tinua…ce is almost expired. But a little be…re break of day▪ how dark is it like to be! Now a child is not affraid though he be in the …, if his F…her has him by the hand. No m…e need … be a… Tidings, if we … near to GOD. It is now a great Question, What shall we do that we may be accounted worthy to escape those things that are comming on the world? The best Answer which I can think of is this, Let us draw near to God and one another in the Lord. And then God will either keep the storm from coming to us, or if it do come, it will but blow us the sooner to Heaven.
For Direction.
1. Take heed of sin. A great Sin is like a violent blast which bloweth the soul far from God suddenly. Sin and guilt upon the Conscience makes a man affraid to look God in the face. When Adam had sinned he endeavoured to run away from God, and to hide himhimself (had it bin possible) from His holy presence. Therefore watch against sin. Especially against such sins as will break peace with God, & interrupt Communion with Him. All scandalous Sins will do so; yea, and sins of Infirmity, if they be not mourned for.
2. In all our approaches unto the holy God, Let us besure to bring Jesus Christ with us. Let every soul make sure of an Interest in Him, without Whom there is no drawing near to God. When the Law was given at Mount Sinai, the people stood afarr off: So Christless Sinners who are only concerned in the Covenant of Works, are afarr off. The Lord saith to them as sometimes Joseph to his Brethren, Except you bring Christ with you, you shall not see my face. And Beleevers must depend upon Christ for all acceptance with God, and that as to every Duty. The Apostle speakes of a better hope by which we draw nigh to God, Heb. 7. 19. what is that Better Hope but the priestly Office, the Merit & Mediation of Jesus Christ? were it not for that we should have no hope. How should Sinners come near that God who is a consuming fire, without a Mediator? Christ is is the way, and none can come to the Faher but by Him.
Tibi Domine.
THE CONTENTS
I.
IF any man come to Jesus Christ, He will in no wise cast him out.
II.
Every Sinner to whom the Word of the Lord cometh, is bound to Turn from his evil way, and that NOW without Delaying.
III.
There shall be a Day of Judgment.
IV.
Fruitful Christians glorifie God.
V.
It is good for every man to draw near to God.
ERRATA.
PAge 23. line 15. after believe r. Men think if they could see Christ working Miracles they should believe. p. 31. l. 7. for yet r. then. p 39. l. 12. r. evil way. p. 79. l. 20. for Assistors r. Assessors. p. 36 l. 10. after endeavour, r. that they may be able. p. 98. l. 15. r. actings. l. 16. for Graces, r. gracious p. 101, l. 3. after suppose, r. the mentioned. p. 111. l. 16. dele up. p. 136. l. ult. dele nay. p. 142. l. ult. r. Kreisson. p. 143. l. 7. r. Experiencing.
Books printed for, and sold by Joseph Brunning at his Shop at the Corner of Prison Lane next the Exchange.
A Discourse Concerning Comets, wherein the Nature of Blazing Stars is enquired into, by Mr. Increase Mather.
—An Essay for the Recording Illustrious Providences.
—The Doctrine of Divine Providences opened and applied. To which is annexed
A Sermon wherein is shewed, That it is the Duty and should be the Care of Believers on Christ to live in the constant Exercise of Grace. by Mr. Nathaneel Mather, Minister of the Gospel at Dublin in Ireland.
Self-Employment in Secret, containing Evidences upon Self-Exmination, Thoughts upon Painful Afflictions, Memorials for Practice. by Mr. John Corbet.
An Arrow against Profane and Promiscuous Dancing. Drawn out of the Quiver of the SCRIPTURES. by the Ministers of Boston.
End of the text · Increase Mather, The Greatest Sinners Exhorted and Encouraged (1686)