and after more and more of the presence of Christ, and after more and more communion with Christ? Ps. cxxxix. 17, 18, Ixiii. 1, 8, xxvii. 4, and xlii. 1-3; Exod. xxxiii. 13-16 ; Cant. i. 2. Fifthly, If Christ be not signally present with you, why are you so affected and afflicted with the dishonours and indignities, wrongs and injuries, that are done to the Lord by others? Ps. Ixix. 9, and cxix. 53, 136, 158 ; Jer. ix. 1, 2 ; Ezek. ix. 4, 6 ; 2 Pet. ii. 7, 8. None but such that have the presence of the Lord signally with them can seriously and sincerely lament over the high dishonours that are done to the Lord by others. Sixthly, If the Lord be not signally present with you under all your troubles and deep distresses, why do you not cast off prayer, and neglect hearing, and forsake the assembling of your- selves together, and turn your baoks upon the table of the Lord, and take your leaves of closet duties ? Job xv, 4 ; Heb. x. 25. But, seventhly. If the Lord be not signally present with you under your great troubles and deep distresses, why don't you say with Pharaoh, ' Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice ?' And with the king of Israel, ' Behold, this evil is of the Lord, and why should I wait for the Lord any longer ?' Or with that noble pagan, ' If the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be ?' Or with Saul, Why don't you run to a witch ? Or with Ahab, Why don't you sell your- selves to work evil in the sight of the Lord ? Or with Ahaz, Tres- pass most when you are distressed most ? i Why don't you fret, and faint, and lie in the streets as a wild bull, full of the fury of the Lord ? Why don't you grope for the wall, and stumble at noonday, and roar all like bears ? But, eighthly, If the Lord be not signally present with you in your greatest troubles and deepest distresses, why do you, with Moses, prefer suflPering before sinning, and Christ's reproaches before Egypt's treasures ? Heb. xi. 25, 26. Why do you scruple the sinning of yourselves out of your sorrows ? Ps. xxxviii, 4 ; Gen. xxxix. 9, 10. Why do you look upon sin as your greatest burden ? Why are you so tender in the point of transgression, and so stout in resist- ance of the most pleasing temptation ? But, ninthly. If the Lord be not signally with yon in your great troubles and deep distresses, why do you set so high a price upon those that have much of the presence of God with them in their troubles and trials ? Ps, xvi, 3, 4 ; Pro v. xii. 26 ; Heb. xi. 38. Why do you look upon them as more excellent than their neighbours ? yea, as such worthies of whom this world is noways worthy ? But, tenthly and lastly. If the Lord be not sig- nally present with you in your greatest troubles and deepest dis- tresses, how comes it to pass that you are somewhat bettered, some- what amended, somewhat reformed by the rod — by the afflictions that have been, and still are, upon you ? Ps. cxix. 67, 71; Hosea v. 14, 15, and vi. 1, 2; Hosea ii, 6, 7. When the heart is more awakened, humbled, and softened by the rod, when the will is more compliant with the will of God in doing or suffering, when the mind is more raised and spiritualised, when the conscience is more quick and tender, and when the life is more strict and circumspect, — then we may safely and roundly conclude that such persons do undoubtedly enjoy the
1 Exod. V. 2; 2 Kings vi. 32, and vii. 2; 1 Sam. ixviii. 15, 16; 1 Kings xxi, 20; 2 Chron. xxviii. 22 ; Isa. Ii. 20, and lix. 10, 11.
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signal and singular presence of God with them in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, Eph. v. 15. And thus I have laid down these six propositions ; which, if well weighed and improved, may many ways be of singular use to sincere Christians.
We shall now come to the application or useful improvement of this great and seasonable truth. Explication is the drawing of the bow, but application is the hitting of the mark, the white. Is it so, that when the people of the Lord are in great troubles, deep distresses, and most deadly dangers, that then the Lord will be favourably, signally, and eminently present with them? Then let me briefly infer these ten things.
[1.] First, That the saints are a people of Christ's special care : 2 Chron. xvi. 9, ' For the eyes of the Lord run to ^nd fro through the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them, whose heart is perfect towards him.' The words contain, (1.) The universality of God's providence. His eyes walk the rounds, they run to and fro through the whole earth, to defend and secure the sincere in heart. Diana's temple was burnt down when she was busied at Alexander's birth, and could not be at two places together ; but God is present at all times, in all places, and among all persons, and therefore his church, which is his temple, can never suffer through his absence, 1 Cor. iii. 16, and vi. 19. The Egyptians had an idol called Baal-Zephon, which is by interpretation, Dominus speculce, Lord of the watch-tower, Exod. xiv. 2 ; his office was to fright such fugitive Jews as should offer to steal out of the country ; but when Moses and the people of Israel passed that way, and pitched their camp there, this drowsy god was surely fast asleep, for they all marched on their way without let or molestation ; whereas he that keepeth Israel ' neither slumbereth nor sleepeth ;' he kept his Israel then, and he hath kept his Israel ever since : he made good his title then, and will make good his title still ; he ever was, and he ever will be, watchful, over his people for their good, Ps. cxxi. 3-5 ; Isa. xxvii. 3, 4. (2.) The efficacy of his provi- dence, to shew himself strong, God fights with his eyes as well as his hands ; he doth not only see his people's dangers, but saves them from dangers in the midst of dangers, Zech. ii. 5. When the philosopher in a starry night was in danger of drowning, he cried out, Surely I shall not perish; there are so many eyes of providence over me. King Philip said he could sleep safely because his friend Antipater watched for him. Oh, how much more may the saints sleep safely, who have always a God that keeps watch and ward about them! Ps. iii. 5, 6. God is so strong a tower that no cannon can pierce it, Prov. xviii. 10, and he is so high a tower that no ladder can scale it, and he is so deep a tower that no pioneer can undermine it ; and therefore they must needs be safe and secure who lodge within a tower so impregnable, so inexpugnable. Now this is the case of all the saints. The fatherly care and providence of God is still exercised for the good of his people : Deut. xxxii. 10, ' He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness ; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye:' ver. 11, 'As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth
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