Obs. 2. But mainly observe from this failing of the church, the differ- ence betivceii the true children of God and others. The child of God is cast down when he finds not the presence of God as he was wont ; his spirits fail. A carnal man, that never knew what this presence meant, regards it not, can abide the want of it. He finds, indeed, a presence of God in the creature which he thinks not of. There is a sweetness in meat, drink, rest, and a contentment in honour, preferment, and riches ; and thus God is present always with him, but other presence he cares not for. Nay, he shuns all other presence of God, labouring to avoid his spiritual presence. For what is the reason that a carnal man shuns the applying of the word and the thinking of it, but because it brings God near to his heart, and makes him present ? What is the reason he shuns his own conscience ; that he is loath to hear the just and unanswerable accusations that it would charge upon him, but because he cannot abide the presence of God in his conscience ? What is the reason he shuns the sight of holier and better men than himself? 1 Kings xvii. 18. They present God to him, beinw his image, and call his sins to memory, and upbraid his wicked life. Hence comes that Satanical hatred more than human in carnal, vile men, to those that are better than themselves ; because they hate all presence of God, both in the word, ministry, and all God's holy sen^ants. All such presence of God they hate ; whereof one main reason is, because they are malefac- tors, wicked rebels, and intend to be so. And as a malefactor cannot endure so much as the thought of the judge, so they cannot think of God otherwise, in that course they are in, than of a judge ; whereupon they tremble and quake at the very thought of him, and avoid his presence.
You know that great man, Felix, Paul spake to in the Acts, Acts xxiv. 25, when he spake of the judgment to come, and those virtues, as temperance and righteousness, which he was void of, and guilty of the contrary vices ; he quaked, and could not endure to hear him speak any lon'^er. Wicked men love not to be arraigned, tormented, accused, and condemned before their time, Mark v. 7. Therefore, whatsoever presents to them their future terrible estate, they cannot abide it. It is an evidence of a man in a cursed condition, thus not to endure the presence of God. But what shall God and Christ say to them at the day of judgment ? It was the desu-e of such men not to have to do with the presence of God here, and it is just with Christ to answer them there as they answer him now ; ' Depart, depart, we will have none of thy ways,' say they. Job xxii. 17. ' Depart, ye cursed,' saith he. He doth but answer in their owti language, ' Depart, ye cursed, with the devil and his angels,' Mat. xxv. 41.
But you sec the child of God is clean of another temper. He cannot be content to be without the presence of God and of his Spirit, enlightening, quickenhig, strengthening, and blessing of him in spiritual respects. "When he finds not his presence helping him, when he finds Christ his Hfe is absent from him, he is presently discouraged. For ' Christ is our life,' Col. iii. 4. Now, when a man's life fails all fails. "Wlien, therefore, a man finds his spiritual taste and comfort not as it was before, then Oh, ' the life
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of my life ' hath withdrawn himself, and so is never quiet till he have reco- vered his life again, for ' Christ is his life,' Col. iii. 4.
And because there is a presence of God and of Christ in the word and sacraments — a sweet presence, the godly soul, he droops and fails if he be kept from these. He will not excommunicate himself, as many do, that perhaps are asleep when they should be at the ordinances of God. But if he be excommunicated and banished, 0 how takes he it to heart ! ' As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so longeth my soul after thee, 0 God,' Ps. xlii. 1. The whole 84th Psalm is to that pui-pose, * 0 how amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts.' He finds a presence of God in his word and feacraments, and when he doth not taste a sweet presence of God there- in, he droops and sinks.
A carnal man never heeds these things, because he finds no sweetness in them ; but the godly, finding Christ in them, they droop in the want of them, and cannot live without them. ' ^Vhither shall we go ?' saith Peter to Christ, ' thou hast the words of eternal life,' John vi. 68. I find my soul quickened with thy speaking. So a soul that feels the quickening power of the ordinances, he will never be kept from the means of salvation, but he droops and is never well till he have recovered himself again.