III. Excellency. It is the centre which rests the motions of a weary soul : it is the rest and refreshment of a man's spirit, PsaL cxvi. 7. Return unto thy rest^ O my soul. When we attain perfect communion with God in heaven, we attain to perfect rest, and all the rest the spirit of man finds on earth, is found in communion with God. Take a sanctified person, who hath in- termitted for some time his communion with the Lord, and ask him. Is your soul at rest and ease ? He will tell you, no ! The mo- tions of his soul are like those of a member out of joint, neither comely nor easy. Let that man recover his spiritual frame again, and, with it, he recovers his rest and comfort. Christians, you meet with variety of troubles in this world ; many a sweet comfort is cut off, many a hopeful project dashed by the hand of providence; and what think you is the meaning of those blasting, disappointing providences.^ Surely this is their design and errand, to disturb your false rest in the bosom of the creature ; to pluck away those pillows you were laying your heads upon, that thereby you might be re- d uced unto God, and recover your lost communion with him ; and say, with David, " Return unto thy rest, O my soul." Some- times we are settling ourselves to rest in an estate, in a child, or the like ; at this time it is usual for God to say, go, losses, smite and blast such a man's estate ; go, death, and take away the desire of his eyes with a stroke, that my child may find rest no where but in me. God is the ark ; the soul, like the dove Noah sent forth, let it fly where it will, it shall find no rest till it come baclv to God.
IV. Excellency. It is the desire of all gracious souls throughout the world. Where-ever there is a gracious soul, the desires of that soul are working after communion with God. As Christ was called, The desire of ail nations, so communion with him is the de- sire of all nations : and this speaks the excellency of it, Psal. xxvii. 4. " One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after ;
*' that I might dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my " life, to see the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his tem- *'ple;'' i. e. to enjoy communion widi him in the public duties of his worship. One thing have I desired, that is, one thing above all other things ; such a one, as, if God shall give me, I can com- fortably bear the want of all other things. Let him deny me what he will, if so be he will not deny me this one thing; this one thing shall richly recompense the want of all other things. Hence the desires of the saints are so intense and fervent after this one thing; Psal. xlii. 1. "My soul panteth after thee, Q God;"*' and Psal. cxix. 81. " My soul fainteth for thy salvation." Psal. ci. % ^' When wilt thou come unto me .?" No duties can satisfy without it, the soul cannot bear the delays, much less the denials of it. They reckon their lives worth nothing without it. Ministers may come, ordinances and sabbaths may come; but there is no satis- faction to the desires of a gracious heart, till God comes too ; Q when Kilt thou come unto me?
V. Excellency. As it is the desire, so it is the delight of all the children of God, both in heaven and earth, As communion with the saints is the delight of Christ, Cant. ii. 14. " Let me hear thy ''voice:" and again. Cant. viii. 13. "The companions hearken '' to thy voice ; cause me to hear it :" So communion with Christ is the delight of his people. Cant. ii. 3. " I sat under his shadow *' with great dehght, and his fruit was sweet unto my taste." It is the pleasure of Christ to see the vearning countenances, the blush- ing cheeks, the dropping e3'^es of his people upon their knees ; and it is the delight of the saints to see a smile upon his face, to hear a voice of pardon and peace from his lips. I must tell you Chris- tians, you must look for no such delights as these, in any eailhly enjoyment, none better than these, till you come home to glory ; communion with God then appears most excellent in as much as it is found to be the desire and delight of all gracious souls.
VI. Excellency. It is the envy of Satan, that which cuts and grates that wicked spirit. O how it grates and galls that proud and envious spirit, to see men and women enjoying the fehcity, and pleasure of that communion with God, from which he himself is fallen, and cut off for ever ! to see the saints imbosomed in dehght- ful communion with Christ, whilst himself feels the pangs of horror, and despair ! this is what he cannot endure to behold. And there-, fore you should find in j'our experience, that times of communion with God are usually busy times of temptation from the devil. Zech. iii. 1. " And he shewed me Joshua the high-priest standing " before the Lord, and Satan standing at his right-hand to resist " him." It is well for thee. Christian, that thou hast an advocate standing at God's right hand to resist^ and frustrate his attempts
upon tliee; otherwise Satan would this way destroy your com- munion with God, and make that which is now your delight, to be your terror. Many ways doth the devil oppose the saints commu- nion with God ; sometimes he labours to divert them from it : this business shall fall in, or that occasion fall out, on purpose to divert thy soul's approach to God ; but if he cannot prevail there, then he labours to distract your thoughts, and break them into a thousand vanities ; or if he succeed not there, then he attacks you in your return from duty, with spiritual pride, security, S^c. these fierce oppositions of hell discover the worth, and excellency of communion with God.