Good is then done, and sinners are converted to God, when the power of the Lord is present to work, and when the word comes to their hearts, " not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurancep." Hence it is that persons, who but a little time before "knew not that the Lord God was in that place," are constrained to cry out, " This is none other but the house of God, this is the gate of heaven q."]
3. In the common offices of life —
[There is no time, nor place, where the Lord Jesus will not vouchsafe his presence to those who call upon him. In a crowd, in the midst of business, no less than in the retired and lonely walk, will our Lord be with themr: he will even be as " their shade upon their right hand8," to keep them from all evil, and to load them with his richest benefits : " his goodness and mercy shall follow them ;" yea, " he himself will walk with them, and dwell in them," so that in every possible situation they shall be enabled to say, " Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ1." How often has this been realized in social converse, and in the chambers of the sick ! ]
If this be the privilege of his people, it may justly be said,
II. That it is the most exalted privilege they can possibly enjoy —
There is no satisfaction that a human being can possess, that is at all to be compared with that which arises from communion with his God and Saviour. The pleasure it affords is,
1. The most refined —
[That which is usually called pleasure, is, for the most part, unworthy of the name : the gratifications of sense are suited only to our animal nature, and enjoyed only in common with the beasts. Even intellectual pleasures, though more suited to us as rational beings, are yet far below the desires which we feel, and the capacities with which we are endowed. The Christian is " made partaker of a Divine nature ;" and he can be satisfied with nothing less than the enjoyment, of the Divinity himself. Accordingly this is his actual attain- ment. The Spirit of God inspires him with a lively hope"," and " a peace that passeth all understanding;" and so reveals and
p 1 Thess. i. .r>. 1 Gen. xxviii. 1(3, 17. r Gen. xxviii. 15.
s Ps. cxxi. 4—8. ' 1 John i. 3. u 1 Pet. i. o.