(2.) Special; — attended with peculiar love, favour, good-will, spe- cial care towards them Avith whom he is so present. So Abimelech ob- served that he was with Abraham, Gen. xxi. 22, " God is with thee in all that thou doest," — with thee to g-uide thee, bless thee, preserve thee, as we shall see afterward. So he promised to be \ni\\ Joshua, " I will be with thee," chap. i. 5 ; and so he was with Gideon, " The Lord is with thee," Judges vi. 1 2, — to bless him in his gTcat under- taking; and so with Jeremiah, " I am with thee," chajx xv. 20. This is fully expressed, Isa. xliii. 1, 2, "I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by tliy name; thoii art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will bo with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee."
And this is the presence of God here intimated, — his presence with the peo})le as to special providential dispensations, as is manifest from the whole discourse of the prophet; and wherein this consists, shall be afterward at large declared.
A people's prosperity. 435
Secondly, What is a people's abiding with God? There is a twofold abiding with God, —
1. In personal obedience, according to the tenor of the covenant. This is not here intended, but svipposed. There is no abiding in any thing with God where there is not an abiding in this thing ; yet this, as I said, is not here principally intended, but supposed ; — something farther is intended ; for, as hath been declared, it is national work and national abiding that is intended. So that, —
2. There is an abiding with God in national administrations ; — this is a fruit of the other, in those who are called to them. And that this is principally here intended is evident from that use that Asa made of this information and exhortation of the prophet. He did not only look to his personal walking thereupon, but also immediately set upon the work of ordering the whole affairs of the kingdom so as God might be glorified thereby. How this may be effected, shall at large afterward be declared. What hath already been spoken may suffice for a foundation of that proposition which I shall this day insist upon ; and it is this,—
Observation. The presence of God with a people, in special i^rovi- dential dispensations for their good, depends on their obediential presence with him in national administrations to his glory : " The Lord is with you, while ye be with him."
For the explication of this proposition some few things are to be premised : —
1. The presence of God with his people as to special grace in the covenant, and his presence with them as to special assistance in pro- vidence, proceed on very different accounts.
(1.) They have a veiy different rise. The foundation and principal law of special grace, dispensed in the covenant, is this, — that some sinned, and another was punished. So it is laid down expressly, Isa. liii. 6, " All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way ; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all;" — 2 Cor. v. 21, " He was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousne&s of God in him;" — Gal. iii. 13, 14, " a curse for us," that the blessing of faithful Abraham might come on them that believe. 1 Pet. ii. 24, This is the great and sovereign principle of the cove- nant of grace, that a commutation should be made of persons, as to punishments and rewards ; that sinners should be provided of a sub- stitute,— one that should undergo the punishment due to them, that they might go free, and procure a reward for them who could pro- cure none for themselves.
Now, the supreme and sovereign laio of providential dispensations is utterly diverse and alien from this of the covenant of grace. This you have asserted, Ezek. xviii. 20, " The soul that sinneth, it shall
4.36 god's presence
die:" one shall not bear the iniquity of another: " the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." Take this for a law of universal right, and in- dispensable, extend it to the covenant of grace, and it is absolutely exclusive of the substitution and satisfaction of Christ. But it is the gi'ound, rule, and law of providential dispensations that God is there treating about, and vindicating liis dealing with any people as to his presence with them and acting towards them therein ; which is diverse, as you see, from the foundation of the covenant before mentioned.
(2.) As the foundations are diverse, so is the rule of their continu- ance. What is the rule and measure of God's continuance with his people in the covenant of gi'ace? Plainly this, — that he will never forsake them; and, on that account, will take care that they shall never forsake him, but abide with hmi for ever. It is not whilst they do so and so, he will abide Avith them ; and Avhen they cease so to do, he will forsake them, as to his federal and covenant presence ; — there is not such a sandy foundation left us of our abiding wdth God in Christ. See the tenor of the covenant, Jer. xxxi. 83, xxxii. 38-40. The sum is, that God will be with them, and take care that they always abide with him ; and therefore hath he provided for all inter- veniences imaginable, that nothing shall violate this union. God lays his unchangeableness as the foundation of the covenant, Mai. iii. 6, and he therein makes us unchangeable; — not absolutely so, for we change every moment ; but with respect to the terms and boimds of the covenant, he hath undertaken that we shall never leave him. The law of God's presence in respect of providential dispensation.s, and all special privileges attending it, is quite of another importance: it is purely conditional, as you may see in my text. The tenor of it is expressed to the height, 1 Sam. ii. 30, " I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith. Be it far from me ; for thom that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." Here is no alteration of counsel or purpose in God ; but merely an explanation of the nde, law, and tenor oi providential disj^ensations; — no interpretation of the covenant of grace (Eli held not the priest- hood by that covenant) ; but an explication of the tenor of a privilege given in special providence, Ps. Ixxxix. 32, 33. Hence is that variety of God's dealings with men mentioned in the Scripture; which yet are always righteous, according to one or other of these ndes and laws. Isa. xliii. 22-24, says God of his people, " Tliou hast not called upon me, 0 Jacob ; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt-offerings; neither lia.st thou lionoured me with thy sacrifices." — "Thou hast l)ought me no sweet cane with money, neither liast thou filled me with the fat