The Greatest Sinners Exhorted and Encouraged, Question 1
QUEST. 1. When may a man be said to draw near to God?
ANSW. 1. When he is brought out of a state of Nature into a state of Grace, he is brought near to God. There is a drawing nigh to God in respect of a man's state, as well as an actual drawing nigh to Him. A Sinner is in a state of Separation from God. Therefore men in a state of sin are described to be a farr off. Eph. 2. 13. It is said of the Prodigal, that he was a great way off. Luk. 15. 20. Sin has made a vast and woful distance between the blessed God and the souls of men: it hath set their souls at an infinite distance from Him: But by true Conversion they are brought near to Him again. The Prodigal Son, when he came to himself, said, I will arise and go to my father. A repenting sinner goeth to God. Hence Repentance is sometimes call'd a drawing nigh to Him. Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God, & he will draw nigh to you, cleanse your hands you sinners & purify your hearts you double minded. The Apostle having shew'd the evil of several vices, he prescribes one Catholic Remedy for them all, viz. Repentance, which he calleth a Drawing nigh to God, a Cleansing the hands, a Purifying the heart, an Humbling of themselves &c. There must be Union and Reconciliation before there can be Communion. Amos. 3. 33. Can two walk together except they be agreed? You and I (says God) are not agreed, and therefore how can we hold Communion? A sinner is an enemy to God, but a Converted sinner is become reconciled to Him. He is made nigh by the blood of Christ, and so hath access unto the Father. Eph. 2. 13. 18. Men by being made nigh, they draw nigh: being by Faith and Repentance brought near to God through Jesus Christ, they ever after draw near to Him. This layeth the Foundation of all that Communion which we have with God. It necessarily implyes Union and Reconciliation with Him.
2. When men enter into Covenant with God, they draw near to Him. Such are said to joyn themselves to the Lord. Jer. 50. 5. Isai. 56. 6. As they that are wholly strangers to the Covenant are said to be without God Eph. 2. 12. & to be far off Act. 2. 39. So the Lord's Covenant people are said to be near to Him Isa. 57, 19. I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace, to him that is far off & to him that is near. That is, to the Gentile and to the Jew. Paul hath respect to that Scripture in Isaiah, when he says, Christ came & preached peace to you that were a far off; h. e. to the Gentiles who were strangers to the covenant: and to them that were nigh, i. e. to the Jews, who were nigh to God in respect of the Covenant. Eph. 2. 17. On this account the Children of Israel were nearer to God than any other Nation in the world. Psal. 148. 14. The Children of Israel, a people near unto Him. There is an external Covenanting with God, such may be really farr from God, yet they are as to their visible state near to Him. Jer. 12. 2. Thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins. And there is an Internal Covenanting with God, when men give not their names only, but their hearts to God, devoting themselves entirely to His fear, and renouncing all other Lords and Lovers in Comparison of Him, and for His sake. They draw near to God, who can truly say as His people do Isai. 26. 13. O Lord our God, other lords have had dominion over us, but by Thee only will we make mention of Thy Name.
3. When men worship God, they draw nigh to Him. Thus the Chaldee Interpreter paraphraseth upon the Text, It is good for me to come to the worship of God. There is a special Presence of God where He is worshiped; especially in His Publique Worship. Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my Name, I will come unto thee. When men come to worship, they are said to gather round about the holy God whom they serve, Psal. 89. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of His saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him. Hence the Priests of old were said in a peculiar manner to draw nigh unto God, because they were constantly employed in holy Ministrations, Exod. 19. 22.—the Priests which come near to the Lord. Their whole employment was a divine Service. Ezek 44. 15. They shall come near to me, to minister to me, and they shall stand before me, to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God. When men come to hear the Word, they draw near to God: They approach into His special presence, and must therefore attend with all humility and reverence, because in coming to hear, they present themselves into the presence of the Infinite MAJESTY. Eccles. 5. 1. Keep thy foot, i. e. Be reverent in thy behaviour; For among the Eastern Nations, Uncovering the foot did signifie the same that uncovering the head does with us, being a Testification of humble and reverend respect, when thou goest to the House of God, and be more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools. Which words shew that in hearing the Word, men have to doe with God. They come into his House, & approach into his solemn Presence. In Prayer also, men draw near to God. Heb. 10. 22. Having such an high priest, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. The Apostle's meaning is, let us in sincerity of heart pray unto God, being fully assured that He will accept of us for the sake of Jesus Christ. Prayer is call'd a visiting of God, Isai. 26. 16. A knocking at His door, Mat. 7. 7. Knock and it shall be opened to you. By Prayer men knock at heavens door. Prayer is nothing else but the souls Going up to God. Psal. 25. 1. Ʋnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul. When the Psalmist sayes it is good for me to draw near to God, Part of his meaning is, it is good for me, that I should hear the Word of God, and that I should pray to Him.
4. When men joyn themselves to the Church and and People of God, they draw neer to him. For there is a special presence of God in His Church. The name of that place is Jehovah Shammah, h. e. The Lord is there. Ezek. 48. ult. His Church is his House. That particular Church in Ephesus, was the house of the living God. 1. Tim. 3. 15. Every Church is a Sanctury. Therefore God dwells therein Psal. 26. 8. I have loved the habitation of thine house, and the place where thine honour dwells. His Honour i. e. GOD Himself, (Who is expressed by the Name of Honour, as also by the Name of Majesty & of glory) dwells in His Sanctuary. He is to be seen there. Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired, (h. e. one thing in a more peculiar manner) that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life, to behold the Beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His holy Temple. So that the Lord appears in His Beauty to those that are in His House, and there make enquiry after him. Psal. 63. 2. To see thy Power and glory, as I have seen Thee in the Sanctuary. Every true and pure Church is Sanctuary, where much of God is to be seen. He walks in the midst of his Golden Candlesticks. Rev. 2. 1. Those holy Ordinances whereof the Church is the proper subject, have much of God in them. Hence the Spouse speakes as in Cant. 1. 4. The King hath brought me into his chambers, and Chapt 2. ver. 4. He brought me to the banqueting house. The holy Ordinances of God, are Christ's Chambers, and his Church is the Banquetting house where He does feed and feast the souls of his people. It is in a very peculiar manner true with respect to that Ordinance of the Lords Supper, which is not regularly Administred but in a Church Assembly, Believers draw near to God therein, as near as is possible for men to do in this world. There the Lord is wont to shew himself after a gracious manner to the souls of his people, who do by Faith attend upon Him. When Joseph and his Brethren did eat & drink together in the same room, there was an intimacy of Communion between them, so there is between Christ and Believers in that Ordinance of the Lord's Supper. Christ Himself is in the same Room, yea, and at the same Table with them.
5. When men exercise Grace, then they draw near to God. This is the best drawing nigh to God; that which is most acceptable to Him, and most profitable to the souls of men. And it is peculiar unto true Believers. There is a drawing near to God externally; so Hypocrites may draw nigh unto him. Mat. 15. 8. Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah proahesy of you, saying, This people draweth near to me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. There is moreover an Internal drawing near to God: which Hypocrites are strangers unto. They may have Communion with duties, but they have not real Communion with God in Duties. This internal Communion with God, consists in those inward actings of Grace whereby the soul is carried out towards God. As now, When the Affections which are as it were the the feet and wings of the soul, are earnestly carried out after God. The soul that does indeed pant and breathe after Communion with God draweth near to him. Psal. 42: 1, 2. As the hart panteth after the water brooks; so panteth my soul after Thee O God: My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appear before God? The soul which loveth and longeth to be where God is, hath Communion with him. Isai. 26. 9. With my souul have I desired thee in the night, yea with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early. When there are actings of love and delight in God, the soul draweh near to Him Love is a marvellous uniting affection. 1. Joh. 4. 16. He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him, Therefore the more a Christian does exercise that grace of Love to God, the nearer will his Communion with God be. So when a man does renew and exercise Repentance towards God, he draweth near to him. Wherefore the Psalmist says, The Lord nigh unto them is that are of a broken heart. Psal. 34. 18. He that confesseth sin, with a broken heart for it, draweth nigh unto God, and God draweth nigh to Him. The like is to be said concerning the Actings of Faith: As the workings of Unbelief in the heart, are a soul-departure from God, Zeph. 3. 2. She trusted not in the Lord, she drew not near to her God. So when the soul does indeed act faith upon Jesus Christ, when there is not only prayer but Faith in prayer, then there is a drawing near to God.
6. This drawing near to God, implies constancy in the way of Obedience. The Hebrew word [Kirbath] which is here used, signifyeth to cleave unto. Some read the words, Bonum est mihi adhaerere Deo, It is good for me that I should cleave unto God. This is call'd a walking with God & an abiding with God 1. Cor. 7. 24. They that are constantly careful to walk so, as not to displease the Lord, He delights to meet them, and to hold Communion with them. Isai. 64. 5. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness. And therefore the Lord Jesus Christ hath said, If a man love Me, he will keep my words, and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him. Joh. 14. 23. But thus for the 1st. Enquiry.