SHUN and take heed of.
therefore let not that soul mourn or complain of the lack of anything, who enjoys that gracious presence of God—which is better than every earthly thing. Thus much for the motives.
What means should we use that we may
enjoy the gracious presence of the Lord
But some may say, "O sir, what MEANS should we use that we may enjoy the gracious presence of the Lord with us in our greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers?" I answer,
1. First, There are some things that you must carefully SHUN and take heed of.
[1.] First, Take heed of high sinnings, take heed of scandalous sins. High sinnings do greatly dishonor God, wound conscience, reproach religion, stagger the weak, grieve the strong, open the mouths of the wicked, and provoke God to withdraw his gracious presence, Psalm 51:11-12; Exod. 32:8, and 33:3; Isaiah 63:10. Turn to these scriptures, and seriously ponder upon them. Great transgressions eclipse the favor of God as well as the honor of God. In great transgressions we turn our backs upon God, and God turns away his face from us. Gross sins will provoke God to withdraw his presence, both in respect of vigor and strength, as also in respect of peace and comfort. But,
[2.] Secondly, Take heed of impenitency. Next to our being preserved from sin, it is the greatest mercy in the world, when we have fallen by our transgressions, to make a quick and speedy return to God. When by your sins you have made work for repentance, for
hell, or for the physician of souls—immediately make up the breach, take up the controversy between God and your souls, humble yourselves, judge yourselves, and speedily return to the Most High, Hosea 6:1; Exod. 32:9-15. Thus Peter did, and recovered the favorable presence of God immediately, Mat. 26:75; Mark 16:7.
But if men will commit sin and lie in it, if they will fall and have no mind to rise—God will certainly withdraw his favorable presence from them, as you see in David and Solomon, Psalm 51:11-12; 1 Kings 11:9; Josh. 7:1-5. This is further evident in that case of Achan, Josh. 7, "The Israelites they came to fight with the men of Ai, and fled before them, for the Lord was not with them." Why, what was the cause of God's withdrawing himself? See verse 11, "Israel has sinned." And verse 12, "Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies—but turned their backs." Their sins having betrayed them into the hand of divine justice, and into their enemies' hands also; mark what follows, "Neither will I be with you any more, except you destroy the accursed thing from among you." If we will not stone our Achans, our sins, by the lively exercise of faith and repentance; if we will keep up our lusts in despite of all who God does against us—we must never expect to retain the gracious presence of God with us. But,
[3.] Thirdly, Take heed either of neglecting gospel-worship, or of corrupting gospel-worship. Omissions will damn as well as commissions; and omissions will provoke God to withdraw his presence, as well as commissions. When people are careless in their attendance on gospel ordinances, no wonder if God withdraws his presence from them in their distresses, Cant. 5:2-3, 6, and 4:1-3. Cain went off from ordinances, and the Lord set a mark upon him, Gen. 4:15-16. Oh, the black and dismal marks of misery, which God has set upon many who have neglected gospel-worship; and for
profit's sake, and for Diana's sake, are fallen roundly in with the worship of the world! 2 Tim. 4:10; Acts 19:24, 36.
O sirs, the great God stands upon nothing more in all the world than upon purity in his worship. There is nothing which does so provoke and exasperate God against a people, as corrupt worship. Corrupt worship sadly reflects upon the name of God, the honor of God, the truth of God, and the wisdom of God; and therefore his heart rises against such worship and worshipers, and he will certainly withdraw from them, and be a swift and terrible witness against them, as you may see by comparing these scriptures together. [Psalm 106:39-43; Psalm 78:58-64; 2 Chron. 7:19-22, and 32:16-21; Deut. 29:22-29.] Corrupt worship is contrary to the unity of God. Now deny his unity, and you deny his deity, "For the Lord is one, and his name is one," Zech. 14:9. It is contrary to the sovereignty of God, "He is the only ruler, the only potentate," 1 Tim. 6:15. It is contrary to the allsufficiency of God. The heathen worshiped several gods, as thinking that several gods did bestow several blessings. They begged health of one God, wealth of another God, and victory of a third God, thus imagining to themselves several deities for several supplies. Their God was but a Jupiter, a partial helper, an auxiliary God—but "our God is Jehovah," who is abundantly able to supply all our needs, Eph. 3:20.
Now, if either we neglect his true instituted worship, or fall in with a false worship, with a devised worship, with a human worship, with a worldly worship—God will certainly withdraw his gracious presence from us. Will-worship accuses and charges God with weakness and folly—as if God were not careful enough, nor faithful enough, nor mindful enough, nor wise enough—to order, direct, and guide his people in the matters of his worship—but must be indebted to the wisdom, prudence, and care of man—of vain man, of sinful man, of
vile and unworthy man, of weak and foolish man—to complete, perfect, and make up something that was lacking in his worship! Heb. 3:4-6; John 4:23-24. Now assuredly God will never keep house with those who give in such severe accusations and charges against him. But,
[4.] Fourthly, Take heed of a willing, willful, and presumptuous sinning against divine commands and divine warnings. The disobedient child is turned out of doors; the disobedient servant shall have none of his master's smiles, the disobedient wife has little of her husband's company. A willing, wilful, presumptuous running cross to divine commands speaks out much pride, atheism, hardness, blindness, carnal security, and contempt of the great God. It speaks out the greatest insincerity, stoutness, and stubbornness that is imaginable; and therefore no wonder if God turns his back upon such, and if he disdains to be in the midst of such.
Numbers 14:42, 43 "Do not go into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the Lord is not with you. When you face the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle, you will be slaughtered. The Lord will abandon you because you have abandoned the Lord." See Deut. 1:42-46. But they presumed to go up to the hill-top, though they had not the presence of God with them, nor the signs of his grace and favor with them, nor the company of Moses with them; but mark, they paid dearly for their presumption. Verse 45, "Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah."
When men are without God's presence, they are outside of God's precincts, and so out of his protection. To act or run cross to God's express command, though under pretense of revelation from God, is
as much as a man's life is worth, as you may see in that sad story, 1 Kings 13:24. We frequently deny our presence unto disobedient people, and so does God his. Disobedience to divine commands shuts the door against the divine presence, and will not allow God to come in to support us, comfort us, or support us, under our greatest troubles and deepest distresses. But,
[5.] Fifthly, Take heed of carnal confidence, of resting upon an arm of flesh. Psalm 30:6, "And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved;" that is, when I was prosperously settled in the kingdom, I began to conclude within myself that now there was an end of all my troubles, I would now live all my days in a prosperous estate. [Adam in paradise was overcome, when Job on the ash-heap was a conqueror.] David having taken the strong fort of Zion, and having vanquished his enemies round about, and all the tribes having submitted themselves to him, and having built a beautiful palace, and being quietly settled in his throne, he began to be puffed up with carnal confidence. Oh the hazard of honor! Oh the damage of dignity! how soon are we broken upon the soft pillow of ease! Flies settle upon the sweetest perfumes when cold; and so does sin on the best hearts, when they are dissolved and dispirited by prosperity. Oh how apt are the holiest of men to be proud and secure, and promise themselves more than ever God promised them—namely, immunity from the cross.
David thought that his kingdom and all prosperity was tied unto him with adamant cords; he sitting quietly at Jerusalem, and free from fear of all his enemies, 2 Sam. 11:1; but God quickly confutes his carnal confidence by making him know that he could as easily blast the strongest oak as he could trample the smallest worm under his feet. Verse 7, "You hid your face—and I was troubled." God will quickly suspend his favor and withdraw his presence when his
children begin to be proud and carnally confident. Look! as at the eclipse of the sun—the whole frame of nature droops; so when God hides his face, when he withdraws his presence—the best of saints cannot but droop and hang down their heads. Just so, Jer. 17:5, "Cursed be the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord." Verse 6, "For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good comes." But,
[6.] Sixthly, Take heed of barrenness and unfruitfulness under gospel ordinances. Turn to these scriptures, Isaiah 5:1-8; Mat. 31:34-42; 2 Chron. 32:16, to the end. Of all spiritual judgments, barrenness is the greatest; and when men are given up to this judgment, God withdraws; he has no pleasure to dwell in a barren soil. What are barren grounds and barren wombs, compared to barren hearts? He who remains wholly barren under gospel ordinances, may well question his marriage-union with Christ, Ezek. 47:11; Mat. 13:19; Hosea 9:14; John 15:3; Heb. 2:6-8; Jude 12: for, Romans 7:4, We are said to be "married to Christ, that we may bring forth fruit to God." There is a double end of marriage—namely, cohabitation and propagation; and therefore there cannot be a greater and clearer evidence that you are not yet taken into a married union with Christ, than a total barrenness under gospel enjoyments. Christ's spouse is fruitful: Cant. 1:16, "Our bed is verdant."
Christ has no further delight in his people, nor will he further grace his people with his special presence, than they make conscience of weeping over their barrenness, and of bringing forth fruit to him, Cant. 7:11-13. "Now my husband will love me, now he will be joined to me, now I have born him this son also," Gen. 29:34, said Leah. Just so, may the fruit-bearing soul reason it out with Christ: Now I know dear Jesus will love me, now I know he will delight in me, now I know he will dwell with me, now I know he will honor me with his
presence—for now I bring forth fruit unto him. Barrenness under the means of grace drives God from us, and the gospel from us, and communion, and peace, and spiritual prosperity from us.
Ursinus observes, that the sins and barrenness of the Protestants under the gospel in king Edward's days, brought in the persecution in queen Mary's days. He tells us, that those who fled out of England in queen Mary's days acknowledged that that calamity befell them for their great unprofitableness under the means of grace in king Edward's days. Ah, England! England! I look upon nothing to be so ominous to you as the barrenness of the professors of the day! No wonder if God leaves his house, when the trees that are planted in it are all barren. The nutmeg-tree makes barren all the ground about it; so does the spice of worldly love, make the hearts of Christians barren under the means of grace. But I must hasten.
[7.] Seventhly, Take heed of pride and haughtiness of spirit. Hosea 5:5, 6 "Israel's arrogance testifies against them; the Israelites, even Ephraim, stumble in their sin; Judah also stumbles with them. When they go with their flocks and herds to seek the Lord, they will not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them." Pride is the great master-scar of the soul; it will bud and blossom, it cannot be hidden. Pride is the leprosy of the soul, which breaks forth in the very forehead, and so testifies to his face, Ezek. 7:10; Isaiah 3:16-25. Some have called Rome, Epitomen universi, An epitome of the whole world. Just so, it may be said of pride, that it is the sum of all vileness, a sea of sin, a complicated sin, a mother sin, a breeding sin, a sin which has all sorts of sin in the womb of it. Consult these scriptures. [Hab. 1:16; Isaiah 48:9, and 26:12; Hab.2:5, etc.] "I hate pride and arrogance!" Proverbs 8:13.
Aristotle, speaking of justice, says, That in justice all virtues are couched, summarily. Just so, it may be truly said of pride—that in it all vices are as it were in a bundle wrapped up together! Therefore it is no wonder, if God withdraws his presence from proud people, "He has withdrawn himself from them"—Heb., "Has snatched away himself;" he has thrown himself out of their company, as Peter threw himself out from the crude soldiers into a by-corner to weep bitterly, Mark 14:72. God will have nothing to do with proud people, he will never dwell with them, he will never keep communion with them. He who dwells in the highest heavens will never dwell in a haughty heart. The proud he knows afar off," Isaiah 57:15; Psalm 138:6. He won't come near such loathsome lepers; he stands off from such as are odious and abominable; he cannot abide the sight of them, yes, his very heart rises against them! Proverbs 15:25. "The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished!" Proverbs 16:5. James 4:6, "God resists the proud," that is, "He sets himself in battle array against him," as the Greek emphatically signifies. Above all sorts of sinners, God sets himself against proud people, as invaders of his territories and foragers or plunderers of his chief treasures. God defies such as deify themselves. God will arm himself against them, he will never give his gracious presence to them; and therefore as ever you would enjoy the divine presence, arm yourself against pride, watch against pride, and pray hard against pride. But,
[8.] Eighthly, Take heed of a slothful, lazy, trifling spirit in the things of God. Cant. 5:2, 3 "I slept but my heart was awake. Listen! My lover is knocking: "Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night." "I have taken off my robe—must I put it on again? I have washed my feet—must I soil them again?" Christ's head is drenched with dew; that is, Christ came to his spouse full of
the dew of spiritual and heavenly blessings. Christ always brings spiritual and heavenly blessings in his hand, Eph. 1:3-4; Rev. 22:12. Christ never visits his people empty handed. He is no beggarly or niggardly guest. When he comes, he brings everything that heart can wish, or need, require. And now stand and wonder at the silly excuse that the spouse makes for herself: verse 3, "Do not trouble—for I am in bed; my clothes are off, my feet are washed, and I am composed to a settled rest!" "But are you so indeed?" might Christ have replied. "Is this your kindness to your friend? 2 Sam. 16:17. Is this the part and posture of a vigilant Christian? Would it not have been much better for you to be dressed and ready, your lamp burning, and you waiting for your Lord's return? Is it so great a trouble? Is it such a mighty business for you to rise out of your bed, to put on your clothes, and to let in such a guest, as comes not to take anything from you—but to enrich you with the best and noblest of favors?"
Now mark how severely Christ punishes his spouse's sluggishness, laziness, slothfulness, and delays to entertain him when he knocked: verse 6, "I opened for my lover, but my lover had left; he was gone. My heart sank at his departure. I looked for him but did not find him. I called him but he did not answer." Or He was gone! he was gone! a most passionate complaint for his departure; or my bestbeloved was departed, he was gone away! By the iteration or doubling of this sentence, wherein the spouse complains of the departure of her bridegroom, is signified her great trouble, her hearty sorrow, her inexpressible grief—which lay as a heavy load upon her spirit; because, by her unworthy usage of him, she had foolishly caused him to withdraw his presence from her.
Spiritual desertions are of three sorts:
(1.) Cautional, for preventing of sin, as Paul's seems to be, 1 Cor. 1:2, 8-9;
(2.) Probational, for trial and exercise of grace;
(3.) Penal, for chastisement of spiritual sloth and sluggishness, as here in the spouse. Now this last is far the saddest and heaviest; and therefore as ever you would enjoy the gracious presence of the Lord, take heed of a lazy, slothful, sluggish spirit in the things of God, in the concernments of your souls. That man must needs be miserable, who is lazy and slothful—and had rather go sleeping to hell than sweating to heaven! But,
[9.] Ninthly, Take heed of a covetous worldly spirit under the smarting rod, under the severe rebukes of God. Isaiah 57:17, "I was enraged by his sinful greed; I punished him, and hid my face in anger, yet he kept on in his willful ways." Covetousness or greed, was the common sin of the Jews. This disease had infected all sorts and ranks of men; this leprosy did spread itself over princes, prophets, and people, as you may see in comparing these scriptures. [Isaiah 56:11; Jer. 6:13, and 8:10.] "But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:8-10
Now "covetousness being the root of all evil," as the apostle speaks, and the darling sin of our nation—God is so provoked by it that he first smites, and then hides himself, as one who in displeasure, having left one to the evil and harsh usage of some other, withdraws himself out of the way, and having shut himself up in his closet, will
not be seen or spoken with. A worldly man makes the world his God. Covetousness is explicit idolatry: Col. 3:5, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry." Now though it is true, that whatever a man loves most and best, that is his god—be it his belly or his back—yet, in a special manner, covetousness is idolatry—as no other sin is, Phil. 3:19; Isaiah 3:16-25.
Three things especially, make a god:
First, our judgment, when we esteem it in our serious thoughts to be our chief good, and that in which we place our happiness. Now the covetous man looks upon the riches of the world as his heaven, his happiness, his great all. Pope Sylvester placed so much happiness in riches, that, to enjoy the popedom for seven years, he sold his soul to the devil. The people of Constantinople placed so much of their happiness in riches, and were so excessively covetous, that they were buying and selling in their shops, even three days after the Turks were within the walls of the city, and that was the reason that the streets run down with the blood of them, their wives, and children.
Secondly, our confidence. That is an homage which makes a god, when we place our trust in anything, make it our rock, our fortress, our all-sufficient good. This the covetous man does, "He says to the wedge of gold, you are my confidence," Job 21:34. The rich man's heart dances about his golden calf, saying to his wedge of gold, "you are my confidence!" And yet his wedge of gold shall prove but as Achan's wedge, a wedge to cleave his soul in sunder, and, as that Babylonish garment, to be his shroud, Josh. 7:21 to end. "The rich man's wealth is his strong city," Proverbs 10:15; 1 Tim. 6:27. Covetous people do really think themselves simply the better and the
safer for their hoards and heaps of riches; but they may one day find themselves greatly mistaken.
Famous is that story of Croesus among the heathens. He was a rich king, who tumbled up and down in his gold and silver; and Solon, that wise man of Greece, coming into his country, he desired to speak with him, and after Solon had seen and viewed all his wealth and glory, Croesus asked him whom he thought to be the happiest man in the world, imagining that Solon would have said Croesus. But Solon answered, "I think Tellus was the most happy man." "Tellus!" says Croesus; "why Tellus?" "Because," said Solon, "though he was poor— yet he was a godly man, and content with that which he had; and having brought up his child honestly and piously, he died honorably."
"Well, then," said Croesus—"who do you think the second most happy man in the world?" "I think," said he, "those two brothers who carried their mother to the temple." Whereupon, said Croesus, "what think you of me"? "I think," says he, "you are a very rich man; but a man may be happy though he be poor, and a man may be unhappy though he be rich, for he may lose all his riches before he dies; and therefore, I think none truly happy but he who lives well and dies well." Whereupon that wise man Solon was dismissed. But afterward this Croesus, making war against Cyrus, he was conquered by Cyrus; and being taken captive, he was laid upon a pile of wood to be burned to death, then lying on the pile of wood he cried out and said, "O Solon! Solon! Solon!" Cyrus inquiring what he meant, he answered, "This Solon was a wise man of Greece, who told me that happiness did not consist in riches, for they might all be lost, and a rich man might die miserable; whose words, said he, I then neglected —but now I find true; and therefore now I cry out, O Solon, Solon, Solon!"
Let us now tell the covetous man, the worldly man, that his happiness lies not in riches, though he looks upon his riches as his strong city; he won't mind us, he won't regard. Oh but there is a time a-coming wherein the worldling will cry out, "O Solon, Solon, Solon!"
Thirdly, Our service, Mat. 6:24. That is an homage, which makes a god. When we devote all our pains, labor, and service to it—be it this or that—that makes a god. Now the covetous man, his heart is most upon the world, his thoughts are most upon the world, his affections are most upon the world, and his discourse is most about the world. He who has his mind taken up with the world, and chiefly delighted with the world's music, he has also his tongue tuned to the same key, and takes his joy and comfort in speaking of nothing else but the world and worldly things. If the world is in the heart—it will break out at the lips. A worldly-minded man speaks of nothing but worldly things. "They are of the world, therefore they speak of the world," John 4:5. The water rises not above the fountain. Out of the warehouse the shop is furnished.
The love of this world makes men forget God, neglect Christ, slight ordinances, refuse heaven, despise holiness, and oils the tongue for worldly discourses, Mat. 19:21-22. Ah the time, the thoughts, the strength, the efforts, the words—which are spent upon the world, and the things of the world, while sinners' souls lie a-bleeding, and eternity is hastening on upon them!
I have read of a greedy banker, who was always best when he was most in talking of money and the world. Being near his death, he was much pressed to make his will. Finally he dictates:
First, I bequeath my own soul to the devil—for being so greedy of the muck of this world!
Secondly, I bequeath my wife's soul to the devil—for persuading me to this worldly course of life.
Thirdly, I bequeath my pastor's soul to the devil—because he did not show me the danger I lived in, nor reprove me for it.
Oh, the danger of making the world our god, when we come to die and to make up our accounts with God! Now when men make the world their god, and set up their riches, pleasures, and profits in the place of God, no wonder if God withdraws his presence from them; and therefore, as ever you would retain the gracious presence of God with you, take heed of a covetous spirit, a worldly spirit. "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction." 1 Timothy 6:9.
[10.] Tenthly and lastly, As ever you would enjoy the gracious presence of God with you in your greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers— take heed of a petulant, willful, and inflexible spirit under the rod. When the child is willful under the rod, the father withdraws; so here, Isaiah 57:17, "I was angry and punished these greedy people. I withdrew myself from them, but they went right on sinning." Isaiah 47:6. Though I manifested my displeasure by giving them up to their enemies, and by laying them under the tokens of my anger, they persisted in their own willful, crooked, and rebellious courses, refusing to repent and turn to the Most High; and therefore God changes his countenance, hides his face, and withdraws his presence from them: Deut. 32:20, "I will hide my face from them— for they are a perverse generation." Hebrew, A generation of perversenesses.