Infer. 5. Lastly, If' there he so much delight, and pleasure in our imperfect, and often interrupted communion with God here ; O then Tchat is heaven! ivhat are the immediate visions of his face in the perfect state ? 1 Cor. ii. 9. " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nei- ^' ther have entered into the heart of man, the things which God '' hath prepared for them that love him." You have heard glorious, and ravishing reports, in the gospel, of that blessed future state, things which the angels desire to look into. You have felt, and tasted joys unspeakable, and full of glory, in the actings of your faith, and love, upon Christ ; yet all that you have heard, and all that you have felt, and tasted in the way to glory, falls so short of the perfec- ticn and blessedness of that state, that heaven will, and must be a
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great surprise to them that have now the greatest acquaintance witli it. Though the present comforts of the saints are sometimes as much as they can bear, for they seem to reel, and stagger, under the weight of them, Cant. ii. 5. " Stay me with flagons, comfort " me with apples, I am sick of love i"" Yet, I say, these high tides of pleasant joys, are but shallows to the joys of his immediate presence, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. And as they run not so deep, so they are not constant and continued, as they shall be above ; 2 Thes. iv. uU. " Ever with the Lord."*' And thus much for information.
II. Use,Jbr Ecvhortation.
The last improvement of this point will be by way of exhor- tation.
First, Is this the privileged state, into which all believers are admitted by conversion .'' Then strive to come up to the highest at- tainment of communion with God in this world, and be not contented with Just so much grace as will secure you from hell ; hut labour after such a height of grace and communion with God, in the exer- cise thereof as may bring you into the suburbs of heaven an earth.
Forget the things that are behind you, as to satisfaction in them, and press towards the mark, for the prize of your high calling. It is greatly to your loss, that you live at such a distance from God, and are so seldom with him ; think not the ablest ministers, or choicest books will ever be able to satisfy your doubts and comfort your hearts, whilst you let down your communion with God to so low a degree. O that you might be persuaded now t& hearken obediently to three or four necessary words of counsel.
I. Counsel. Make communion with God the very level and aim of your souls in all your approaches to him in the ordinances and duties of religion. Set it upon the point of your compass, let it be the very thing your souls design ; let the desires and hopes of com- munion with God be the thing that draws you to every sermon and prayer. . Psal. xviii. " One thing have I desired of the Lord, " that will I seek after, that I may see the beavity of the Lord, and " enquire q/ier him in his temple." That was the mark David amied at ; and men''s success in duties is usually according to the spiritual aims and intentions of their hearts in them : both sincerity and comfort lie much in men's ends.
II. Counsel. In all your approaches to God, beg and plead hard with him for the manifestations of his love, and further commu- nications of his grace. " Heai', O Lord, when I cry with my voice ; " have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, " seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I
" seek. Hide not thy face far from me, put not thy servant away " in anger,'^ Psal. xxvii. 7, 8, 9. How full and thick of pleas and arfruraents for communion with God was this prayer of David ? Lord, I am come, in obedience to thy command ; thou saidst. Seek ye myface^ thou biddest me come to thee, and wilt thou put away thy serv-ant in anger ? Thou hast been my help, I have had sweet experience of thy sroodness, thou dost not use to put me off, and tUiii me away empty.
III. Counsel. Dosire not comfort for comfort's sake ; but comforts and refreshments for service and obedience sake-; that thereby you may c: strengthened to go on in the ways of your duty with more cheeifulness, Psal. cxix. 32. " Then \^ill 1 run the ways of '' thv conpnandm^mts, when thou shalt enlarge my heart."*' As if he should say, O Lord, the comforts thou shalt give me, shall be returned aga* i in cheerful services to thee. I desire them as oil to the wheels of obedience, not food for my pride,
IV, Counsel. As ever you expect to be owners of much comfort in the ways of your communion with God, see that you are strict and circumspect in the course of your conversations. It is the looscnpss and carelessness of our hearts and lives which impoverishes our spiritual comforts. A little pride, a little carelessness, dashes and iVustrates a great deal of comfort, which was very near us, al- most in oui' hands ; to allude that, Hosea vii. 1. " When I would " have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was disco- " veied."" So here, just when the desire of thy heart was come to the door, some sin stept in the way of it. " Your iniquities '' (saith God) have separated between you and your God, and " your sii|S have hid his face from you,'' Isa. lix. 2. The Com- forter, the Holy Spirit, is sensible and tender ; he hath quick re- sentpients of your unkindnesses and offences. As ever, therefore, you expect comfort from him, beware of him, and grieve him not.
Secondly, In the last place, this point speaks necessary counsel and advice to ircbelievers ; to all that live estranged from the life of Gpd, and ha . e done so from the womb, Psal. Iviii. 3. To you the voice of the Redeemer sounds a summons once more, " Be- " hold, I stand at the door and knock." O that at last you might be prevailed with to comply with the merciful terms propounded by him. Will you shut out a Saviour bringing salvation, pardon and peace with him ! Chnst is thy rightful owner, and demands possession o^ tiiy soul : if thou wilt now hear his voice, thy former refusals ^hall never be objected. If thou still reject his gracious offers, mercy may never more be tendered to thee ; there is a call of Christ vi'hich will be the last call, and after that no more. Take heed what you do ; if you still demur and delay, your damnation
is just, inevitable, and inexcusable. Hear me, therefore, you un- reo-enerated souls, in what rank or condition soever providence hath placed you in this world, whether you be rich or poor, young or old, masters, or servants, whether there be any stirrings of con- viction in your consciences or not. For however your conditions in this world differ from each other at present, there is one com- mon misery hanging over you all, if you continue in that state of unbehef you are now fixed in.