There are many that call upon God, but not in truth ; from these God stands at a distance, Prov. i. 28 ; Isa. i. 11-17 ; Deut. iv. 4 ; 2 John 4. There are others that call upon God in truth, in plainness and single- ness of heart; and these God are^ near, not only in regard of his essence, which is everywhere, but also in regard of the effects of his power, and the readiness of his will in granting their requests. Abijah prays, and finds an admirable presence of God with him, giving him a mighty victory over his most powerful enemy, 2 Chron. xiii. 3, 10, 11, 17, 18. Asa prays, and finds such a singular presence of God with him as made him victorious over a host of a thousand thousand and three hundred chariots, a huger host than that of Xerxes. Josephus saith it consisted of nine hundred thousand foot, and one hundred thousand horse, 2 Chron. xiv. 9 to the end. Jehoshaphat prays, and had such a signal presence of God with him that those numerous forces that were combined against him fall by their own swords, 2 Chron. xx. 1-11, with ver. 22-25. The wrath of God wrought their ruin, as by an ambuscade, unexpectedly and irresistibly. Some understand this ambushment of the holy angels sent suddenly in upon them to slay them ; whereupon they, mistaking the matter, and supposing it had been their own companions, flew upon them, and so sheathed their swords in one another's bowels. 2 Others say that the Lord did sud- denly and unexpectedly cut them off, as when men are cut off by enemies that lie in ambush against them, and that by sending some unexpected strife among those nations, whereupon they fell out among themselves, and slew one another, and so accomplished that which the Levdte had foretold, ver. 17, ' Ye shall not need to fight in this battle : set yourselves, stand ye stiU, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, 0 Judah and Jerusalem : fear not, nor be dismayed ; to- morrow go out against them : for the Lord will be with you.' It was the presence of God with his people that was their preservation, and their enemies' destruction. There is no power, no force, no strength, no combinations that can stand before the powerful presence of God with his people, and a spirit of prayer upon his people. Hezekiah prays, and finds such a powerful presence of God with him as bears up his heart, and as strengthens his faith, and as cuts off his enemies, Isa. xxxvii. 14-21, with ver. 36. Oh, beg hard of the Lord that he will stay with you, do as they did when Christ made as though he would have gone from them: Luke xxiv. 29, ' But they constrained him, saying. Abide with us, for it is towards evening, and the day is far spent ; and he went in to tarry with them/^ By prayer and im- portunity lay hold on Christ ; say. Lord, night is near, the night of trouble, the night of distress, the night of danger, the night of death is near ; stay with us, depart not from us. They over-entreated him by their importunity, they compelled him by entreaty. ' Night is near, and the day is far spent.' Some conjecture that Cleophas, observing
^ Query, 'and to these God is'? — Ed.
" They were carried by such a spirit of rage and fury that no man spared his neigh- bour, but each one destroyed him that was next liim.
•* Luke ixiv. 28. Equivocators abuse this place greatly, but they must know that Chri-st did not pretend one thing, and intend another, but as he made an offer to depart, so without question he would have gone farther, if the importunity of the disciples had not staid him.
WITH HIS PEOPLE IN THEIR GREATEST TROUBLES. 585
Christ to be very expert in the prophets, and to discourse so admirable well of Christ's person, sufferings, and glory, his heart burning in him with musing who this should be, he is marvellous importunate with him to stay at his house, and at last prevails. Oh, lay a hand of holy violence upon God, as Jacob did, and say, as he, ' I will not let thee go.' Jacob, though lamed and hard laid at, yet will not let Christ go. Jacob holds fast with both hands when his joints were out of joint, being fully resolved that whatever he did let go, he would not let go his Lord till he had blessed him. Gen. xxxii. 25, 26 ; Hosea iv. 12. Oh, be often a-crying out with Jeremiah, ' Leave us not, Lord,' Jer. xiv. 9. Though in our great troubles and deep distresses friends should leave us, and relations leave us, and all the world leave us, yet don't thou leave us. Oh, don't thou leave us, Lord ! Though all creatures should desert us, yet, if thou wilt but stand by us, we shall do well enough ; but woe, woe unto us if God depart from us. Oh, leave us not ! But,