[2.] In point of dependence, did we believe more firmly that God was so near and so ready at hand, to comfort, support, deliver, and bless us, this would stay our hearts in all our troubles. Is God near us ? What should we be afraid of? Ps. xxiii. 1,2,' The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pas- tures : he leadeth me beside the still waters.' God admitteth you to his table to assure you of his bounty and liberality ; he gives you this support as a sign of reconciliation with you, that God and you are friends. Now ra t<ov <f>c\cov irdvTa tcoiva. Especially let it check our fears ; when trouble is near, God is also near, to counterwork our ene- mies and support his people: Zech. iii. 1, 2, 'And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and
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Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, 0 Satan ; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee : is not this a brand plucked out of the fire ? ' Where there is Satan to resist, there is an angel to rebuke ; as extremities draw nigh, God draweth nigh. When Laban with great fury followed after Jacob, God followed after Laban, and stepped be- tween, and commanded Laban not to hurt him. When Paul was like to be torn in pieces in an uproar, God runneth speedily to his help : 2 Cor. i. 9, 10, ' But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead ; who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver ; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.' When danger cometh to be danger indeed, you will find him a present help.
Use 2. To quicken us and encourage us actually to draw nigh to God with the more confidence ; that is, let us address ourselves to converse with him in his ordinances, for his favour, mercy, and bless- ing, that we may not stand afar off, but come boldly. To this end, consider whither we come, by whom we come, in what manner we must come or draw nigh to him.
1. To whom we draw near ; to God, as reconciled in Christ. If God were inaccessible it were another matter ; but divine justice being satisfied in Christ we come to a throne of grace : Heb. iv. 16, ' Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.' God's throne is a throne of justice, grace, glory. To the throne of strict justice no sinful man can approach ; to the throne of grace every penitent sinner may have access ; to the throne of glory no mortal man can come in his whole person ; his heart may be there : so it is said, Heb. x. 19, ' Hav- ing therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,' as petitioners are admitted to the prince in the presence chamber. The way to the throne of glory lieth by the throne of grace ; we pass by one unto the other. In short, Christ stood before the throne of justice when he suffered for our sins ; penitent sinners stand before the throne of grace when they worship him in faith. After the resurrection we shall ever stand before the throne of glory, and ever abide in his presence. Our business now is with the throne of grace, to give answer and despatch our suits. There is a threefold throne of grace — the typical, which was the mercy-seat : Fs. lxxx. 1, ' Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth;' the real, which is Christ: ' Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ;' the commemorative, which is the Lord's .supper, where is a representation of wisdom and obsignation of the grace of Christ in the New Testament. This throne of grace is set up everywhere in the church ; it standeth in the midst of God's people, as the tabernacle did in the midst of Israel ; for God is always in all places nigh unto such as call upon him in truth : John iv. 23, ' The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth ; for the Father seeketh such to wor- ship him.' Access to God may be had everywhere, therefore let us come.
2. By whom we come ; by Jesus Christ : Eph. iii. 12, ( In whom we
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have boldness, and access with confidence, by the faith of him ;' upon account of his merit and intercession. We should come without fear or doubt to him, de facto, as if his blood were running afresh.
3. How we come ; with a true heart : Heb. x. 22, ' Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having a heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.'