20 Behold [I] Stand at the door, &c
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SERMON II.
REV. iii. 20. Behold [I] stand at the door, &c.
HAVIN TAVING, in theformerfermon,ponderedChriſt'sfolemn preface to his earneſt ſuit ; the nextthingthatcomes under our confideration, is theperfonfolliciting, andpleading for admiſſion into the hearts of ſinners,which is Chrift himself.
Behold [I] ftand. The only difficulty here is rightly to apprehend the manner of Chriſt's preſence ingoſpel adminiſtrations : for it is manifeſt the perſon of Christ was at this time in, heaven; his bodily preſence was removed from this lower world above fixty years before this epiſtle was written to the Laodiceans.
John's banishment into Patmos is by Eufebius, out ofIrenæus andClemens Alexandrinus, placed in the ; fourteenth year of the emperor Domitian, and under his ſecond perfecution, which was about the ninety-seventh year from the birth of Chrift.
Yet here he faith, Behold I stand; not my meſſengers and minifters only, but I by my ſpiritual prefence among you, I your fovereign Lord and owner, who have all right and authority by creation and redemption to poffeſs and difpoſeofyour fouls ; it is I that ſtand at the door and knock,
Iby my Spirit, folliciting and movingby the miniſtry of men.
Youfee nonebut men; but believe it, I am really andtruly, though ſpiritually and inviſibly, preſent in allthoſe adminiſtrations ; all thoſe knocks, motions, and follicitations, are truly mine, they are my acts, and I own them, and ſo Iwould have you conceive and apprehendthem. Hence the fecond note is this, Doct. 2. That Jesus Christ is truly presentwith men in his ordinances, and hath to do with them, and they with him ; though he be not viſible to their carnal eyes.
Thus runs the promife: "Where two or three are gathered together inmyname, theream I inthe midst ofthem,"Mat. xviii. 20. Themiddleplace was the feat of the president in the Jewish affemblies, where he might equally hear and be heard of all.
So will I be inthe midst of the afſemblies of thefaithful, mettogether inmy name and authority, toblefs, guide, andprotect them. Hencethe church is calledtheplace of his feet, Ifaiah xvi. 13. a manifeſt allufion to the ark, calledGod's footſtool, Pfalm xcix. 5. And agreeablyhereunto, Chriſt is faid to walk amongthe fevengolden candle-
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ſticks, Rev. ii. 1.
There are the ſpiritual walks of Chriſt, therehis converſes and communion with men and this prefence of Chriſt was not the peculiar privilege of the firſt churches, but is common to all the churches of the faints to the endof theworld, as appears by that glorious promiſe ſo comfortably extended to the church from firſt to laſt ; " Lo, I am i " withyou always to theendofthe world," Mat. xxii. ult. This promiſe is thegroundand reaſonof allour faith, and expecta-
tions of benefit from ordinances ; and the ſubjects of it are not here confidered personallybut officially, to you, and all that ſucceedyou in the fame work and office; not toyou only as extraordinary, but to allthe ſucceeding ordinary ſtanding officers in my church.
As for the apoſtles, neither their perſons nor extraordinary officewas tocontinue long, but this promiſe was tocontinue to the end ofthe world.
Nor is this promiſe made abſolutely, but conditionally; the connection of the promise with the command, enforces this qualified ſenſe; as 2 Chron. xv. 2. " The Lord is with you,
" whilft you are with him."
Ignorant, idle, unqualified perfons cannot claim the benefit ofthis gracious grant.
Once more, this promiſe is made to every hour and minute of time.
I am with you, all the days, as it is in theGreek text; in dark and dangerous, as well as peaceable and encouragingdays: and it is cloſedup with afolemnAmen, So be it, or, So it ſhall be.
To open this point diſtinctly, we are to confider that there isathree-fold preſence ofChrift.
1. Corporeal.
2. Repreſented.
3. Spiritual.
1. There is a corporeal prefence of Chriſt, which the church once enjoyed on earth, when he went in and out amongst his people, Acts i. 21. when their eyes faw him, and their hands handled him, 1 John i. 1.
This preſence was a fingular conſolation to the diſciples, and therefore they were greatly dejectedwhen it was to be removed from them.
But after redemption-work was finiſned on earth, this bodily prefencewas no longer neceffary to be continued in this world, but more expedient to be removed toheaven, John xvi. 7. as indeed it was, and muſt there abide until the time of the reftitution of all things, Acts iii. 21. And in this reſpect he tells the difciples,
John xvi . 28. " I leave the world, and go to my Father."
2. There is a repreſented preſence of Chriſt in ordinances.
As the perſon of a king is repreſented in another country by his Ambassadors, ſo is Chrift in thisworld by his minifters :
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We then are ambaſſadors forGod; as tho'Goddidbefeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſt's ſtead be ye reconciledto
"God," 2 Cor. v. 20.
Chriſt is about other work for us in heaven, but we fland in his ſtead on earth. And this ſpeaks thegreat dignity of the miniſterial office; whatever abuſes or contempts are caſt on them, they reflect upon Chrift :
" that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me," Luke x. 16.
It alfo teacheth us whence the validity of goſpel-adminiſtration is; Chriſt ratifies and confirms them with his own authority. It
"He alſo inftructs us how wiſe, ſpiritual, and holy miniſters ſhould be, who repreſentChriſt to the world. A drunkard, a perfe cutor, a fenfual worldling, is but an ill repreſentative of the bleſſed and holy Jeſus.
3. Besides, and above the twoformer, there is a ſpiritual prefence of Chriſt in the churches, and ordinances; and this prefence of Chrift byhis ſpirit, who is his Vicegerent, is tobe confideredas thatfromwhich allgoſpel-ordinancesderive,
1. Their beauty andglory.
2. Their power andefficacy.
3. Their awful folemnity.
4. Their continuance and ſtability.
1. From the prefence of Chriſt by his Spirit, the ordinances and churches derive theirbeautyand glory: " To see thy pow.
" er and thy glory, ſo as I have seen thee inthe fanctuary,"
Pfal . xxvii. 4.
Look as the beauty ofthe body is a refult from the foul that animates it; andwhen the foul is gone, the beauty of the body is gone alſo; fothe beautyand glory of all ordinances comes and goes with the Spirit of Chrift, which is the veryfoul ofthem. The churches are indeedgolden candlesticks, but the candleflickhath no light but what the candlegives it; hence that magnificent deſcription of thenew temple iscloſed up inthis expreſſion , "The name of that city ſhall be, The " Lord is there," Ezek.xlviii. ult.
2. From this ſpiritual preſence of Chriſt, all goſpel-ordinancesderive allthatpower and efficacy which is by them exerted upon the fouls of men, either in their converſion or edification.
This power is not inherent in them, nor do they act as natural, neceſſary agents, but as inſtituted means, which are fucceſsful, or unfuccefsful according as Chriſt by his ſpirit co-operates with them : " Hethat plants isnothing, neither hethat
"watereth,butGod thatgiveththe increase," 1 Cor. iii. 7.That is, they are nothing to the purpoſe, nothing to the accomplishment of mens ſalvation, without the concurrence of the Spirit of Chriſt,
Forwhentheapoſtlemakes himself andApollos,
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with all other miniſters, nothing, we muſt underſtand him ſpeaking not abſolutely,butcomparatively, andrelatively; they are neceſſary in their places, and ſufficient in their kind, for what they are appointed to, elſe itwould be a reflection upon thewisdom of God that inſtituted them: But ſingly in themſelves, and disjunctively confidered, they are nothing ; as a trumpet or,wind-inſtrument is nothing, as to its endanduſe, exceptbreathbe inſpired into it, and that breath modulatedby
El the art and ſkill of the inſpirer ; like Ezekiel's wheels that movenotbut as the Spirit thatwas in them moved, and dir ctedtheir motions.
If ordinances wrought upon fouls naturally, and neceſſarily, as the fire burneth, then theycould not fail of ſucceſs upon all that come under them : But it is with them as with the waters of the pool at Bethesda, whoſe healing virtue was only found at that ſeaſonwhen the angel deſcended and troubled them. i 3. This ſpiritual presence of Chriſt gives the ordinances of thegoſpel that awful folemnitywhich is due, upon that account, tothem. The prefence of Chriſt inthem commands reverence from all that are about him. "God is greatly to be feared in " the aſſemblies of his faints, and tobe had in reverence of all
" that are round about him : " hence is that folemn caution or threatening, Lev. xxvi . 23, 24.
" If you walk contrary unto 66 me, then will I alſo walk contrary unto you." The Hebrew word in that text ſignifies to walk raſhly, or at an adventure with God, fine perſone discrimine, without confidering with whom we have to do, and what an awful majeſtywe ſtand before. And the punishment is ſuitable to the fin; I alſo will walk at an adventure with you, making nodifcrimination in my judgments betwixt your perſons and the perfons of the worstof men. O that this wereduely confidered by all that have to do withGod in goſpel-inſtitutions !
4. It is the ſpiritual preſence of Chriſt in his churches and ordinances that gives them their continuance and ſtability : whenever the Spirit of Chriſt departs from them, it will not be long before theydepart from us; or if they ſhould not, their continuancewill be little to our advantage. When the glory of the LORD diſmounted from betwixt the cherubims, when that ſad voice was heard in thetemple, migremus hinc,
Let us go hence, how foon was both city and temple made a defolation! and trulyChriſt's preſence is not ſo fixed to any place, or any ordinances,butthe ſins of the people may baniſh itaway, Rev. ii . 5. Who will tarry in any place longer than he is welcome, if he have any where elſe to go?
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Butmore particularly, letushere diſcuſstheſe two points.
I. How it appears Chriſt is thus ſpiritually preſent withhis churches and ordinances.
II. Why it is neceſſaryhe ſhouldbe fo.
First, Bywhat evidencesdoth it manifeſtlyappear that there isfuchaprefence of Chriſtwith hischurches and ordinances.
And this willappearbytwoundeniable evidences thereof.
1. Bytheir wonderful preſervations.
2. From their fupernatural effects.
1. From their wonderful preſervations: For it is wholly unaccountable, and unconceivable,how the churches, minifters and ordinances, ſhould be ſupported and preſerved without it, amidſt ſuch hoſts of potent andenragedenemies.
IfChrift werenot among them, they had certainlybeenſwallowed up longago.
It is he that holds the ſtars inhisright-hand, Rev. ii. 1. His walks amongthe ſevengoldencandlesticks is their beſt ſecurity.
The burning bush, Exod. iii. 3. is a rareemblem to open this myſtery; thebush burnedwith fire,butwas notconfumed.
The bushwas areſemblance ofthe church ofGod in Egypt, theflamesupon itwas their terrible perſecution; the wonder, thatno aſhes appeared as the effects of thoſe terrible flames; the reason whereof was, God was inthe bush, Jeſus
Chriſtwas in the midst of hispeople.
By virtue of this prefencewe are here this day, in the enjoyment of goſpel liberties ; no ſocietyof men in the world hayefuch ſecurity as the church hath upon thisaccount. The mightiest monarchies have beenoverturned,nopolicies nor humanpower could preſervethem; butthe church andordinances are ſtill preſerved, and ſhall ever be, by virtue of that gracious promiſe, Jer. xxx. 11. " For Iam with thee, faith the Lord,
" to ſave thee : Though I make a fullend of all nations whi- " ther I have ſcatteredthee, yet will I not make a full end of " thee."
The Babylonians, Perſians, Grecian monarchies, have deAroyed and ruined one another :
-- Sic Medus ademit Affyrio, Syroque tulitmoderamina Perfes,&c. but ftillthe church ofChriſt lifts up its head,andbeholds their ruins..
2. This prefence of Chriſt in and with his ordinances isundeniably evinced from their fupernatural effects upon the fouls of men, 2 Cor. x. 4. "The weapons of our warfare are not " carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of " ſtrongholds."
It is the SpiritofChriſt that gives them their
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ſucceſs and efficacy; the ſword ofthegoſpel hath its pointand edge, but it is impoſſible the heart of a ſtupid hardened ſinner ſhouldever be pricked or wounded by it, if theSpirit ofChrift did not manage it. When ſinners fall downconvinced under theauthority of the word, they feel, and readily acknowledge, thatGod is in it of a truth, 1 Cor. xiv. 25.
Ruffinus reports, that at the council of Nice, agodly man, of no great learning, was the inſtrument of converting alearned philoſopher, whom the bishops with all their arguments could not perſuade: of which the philofopher himself gave this remarkable account, Whilſt you reatonedwithme, ſaidhe, againſt words,
• I oppoſed words, and what was ſpoken I overthrew by the art of ſpeaking; but when inſtead ofwords power came out
⚫of the mouth of the ſpeaker, words could no longerwith-
ſtand truth, nor man reſiſt the power of God.'
L And this, indeed, is the true and juſt account of all thoſe marvellous and gracious changes made upon the fouls of men by the preaching of the goſpel: canthe vaniſhing breath of adying man, think you, inſpire ſpiritual and eternal life into the fouls of other men ?
Can he ſearch the conſcience, break the heart, and bow the will at this rate ? No, no, this is the power and operation of Chriſt; and of that preſence we
! muſt ſay, faith a * reverend author, as Martha did to her Saviourconcerningthe deathofher brother Lazarus, John xi. 21 .
" Lord, if thou hadſt been here, mybrother had not died."
So ſay I, if that preſence and power of Chriſt were feltby all, which hath been certainly experienced and felt bymany, they had not remained in the ſtate of ſpiritual death as theydo.
But though therebe thouſands under ordinances that never felt this power of Chriſt upon them, yet bleſſed be God there arealſo multitudes of witneſſes and evidences of this truth, that there is a real, ſpiritual energetical preſence of Chriſt in his ownappointments ; which was the first thing to be evinced.
Secondly, The ſecond thing requiring explication, is the uſes and ends which make ſuch a preſence ofChriſt neceſſary. And they are, 1. To preſerve and ſupport his miniſters and churches, amidſt ſuchhoſts ofpotentandenraged enemies : this preſence of Chriſt, is as a wall of fire round aboutthem.
It was the divineprefencewith Jeremiah that was as a life-guard to him against the rage ofthe princes and nobles ofIfrael: Jer. xv. 20,
21. " I willmake thee to this people a fenced brazen wall, *Mr. Burgeſs on 1 Cor. iii.
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*" andthey ſhall fightagainst thee, butthey ſhall not prevail " against thee; for Iamwith theeto ſave thee, andto deliver
" thee, faith the Lord: and Iwilldeliver thee out ofthe hand " ofthe wicked, andIwillredeemtheeoutofthehand ofthe
" terrible.".
Itwas easier forthe Romanarmy toſcalethewalls, andbatter downthe towers ofJerufalem, thanfor all the enemies in Jerufalem todeſtroythisprophetofGod, thus immured by the divine prefence.
Athanafius and Luther hadthe power ofthe empire ingagedagainst them,yetthepresenceofChriſt was their ſecurity.
Thewitneſſes could notbe ſlaintill theyhadfiniſhed theirteſtimony, Rev. xi. 7. Tothis preſencealonethe faithful witneſſesofChriſt owe their marvellous preſervationat thisday; had not Chriſt ſaid, Lo, Iamwith you, you had not faidat this day, behold our ministers arestill with us.
2. The prefence ofChriſt is neceſſary to aſſiſt and enable his miniſters in their work, for it is awork quite above their own ſtrength ; it is well we are workers together withGod, elſe we should foon faint under our labours. When Mofes objected, Iam not eloquent, the Lordtold him, Iwill be with thy mouth, Exod. iv. 1o. WhenGodguides thetongue,how powerful and perfuafive muſt the language be! when the apoſtles, illiterate men, were fent out to convertthe world,
Chriſt promiſedtogivethem amouthand wisdom, Luke xxi. 15. amouth to ſpeak, andwisdom to guide that mouth; and then theirwords were demonſtrations, all their adverſaries could not reſiſt that Spirit and powerbywhich theyſpake.
Empires, and kingdoms full ofenemies, received the goſpel ; but the reaſon ofthis wonderful ſucceſs isgivenus in Markxvi. 20.
They " went out and preached every where, the Lordworking with "
" them."
'Tis ſweet and prosperous working in fellowship with Chrift : the ſpirit of Chriſtgives a manifold aſſiſtance to his miniſters in their work; 'tis he thatguides and directs their mind inthe choice ofthoſe ſubjects wherein they labour with fuch ſucceſs totheirhearers. He dictates the matter, influences their affections, guides their lips, follows home their doctrine with ſucceſs. And this is a ſpecial uſe and end ofChrift's preſencewith his miniſters and ordinances.
3. The ſpiritual prefence ofChriſt is neceſſary for the preparationandopening ofthepeoples heartto receiveandembrace the goſpel to ſalvation; not aheart willopento receive Chriſt tillthe Spirit of Chriſt unlock them.
Paul and Timothywere extraordinarily called topreach the goſpel at Macedonia, there
Lydiawasconverted; buthow? Not by their ſkillor eloquence,
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butby the Spirit's influence ; " The Lord openedthe heartof Lydia," Acts xvi. 14. The church couldnotbe propagated withoutconverfion; converfioncould neverbe wrought without Chriſt's influence and ſpiritualpreſence. So thatthis prefenceis ofabſolute neceffity ; thechurch cannot ſubſiſt, nor the great ends ofordinances beattained withoutit.
Infer. 1.
IsChriſt really preſent in all goſpel adminiſtrations, how awfullyfolemnthen isevery part ofgoſpel worship? wehaving todowith Chriſt himself, and not with menonly, ingoſpel ordinances.' Happywere it, if, under thisconfideration, all our people did receive the wordwe preach, as the Theſſalonians did, I Theſſ. ii. 13. not as the word of man, but as the word ofGod; then itwould work effectually in us as it did inthem.
But alas ! we have looſe and low appre. henfionsoftheword; wecometojudge the giftsoftheſpeaker, not tohave our minds informed, our conſciences ſearched, our luſts mortified, and our lives regulated. ButO thatmen would realizethe prefence ofChriſt inordinances,and feriouſly confider that word of his, Rev. ii. 23. "All the churches ſhall know
66 that I am he which ſearcheth the reins and hearts, and Iwill " givetoevery one ofyou according to your works."
Howwould itcompoſe vainandwanderinghearts untoholy feriouſneſs ? O if men would but conſider that they are before the Lord Jesus Chriſt, as Cornelius and his familydid, Acts x.
33- "We are all here preſent beforeGod, tohear all things that are commanded thee ofGod."
Ifthey would confider theword, as the executioner ofGod's eternaldecrees, which returns notinvain, butaccomplishes that whereuntoGodſends it,
Ifa. lv. 11. and eventually proves the favour of life or death eternal to them that fit under it, 2. Cor. ii. 16.
In a word, were itbut confidered as the rule bywhich its hearers ſhallbe judged in the greatday, John xii. 48. then how would men trembleat the word ? What mighty effects would ithave upon their hearts ? Howwould itrun andbe glorified ? But, alas, as Job ſpeaks, Job ix. 11. "He goeth byme, and I seehim not;
" he paſſeth onalſo; butI perceivehim not."
Few realize the ſpiritual preſence ofChriſt in ordinances.
Infer. 2. IfChriſt be really preſent with his churches andordinances, ' How vain are all attempts ofenemies to fubvert and • deſtroythem ?" That promife, Matth. xxviii. ult. ſuppoſes the continuance ofa goſpel church miniſtry to the end of the world, elſe there would be a promise without a fubject: as de
Jure, there ought to be a church, ſo de Facto, there ſhall be achurch with miniſters,and ordinances, let Satan and antichrift
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I do not ſay this promiſe ſecures thisor thatparticular churchornation,forthe presenceofChriſt is move able from one place to another, but ſtill the church is fafe.
And there are three things that ſecure it againſt all hazards.
1. The invaluable treaſures Godhath lodged inthe church, viz. his Truths, hisWorship, andhis Elect; ſuch a precious cargoſecuresthe veſſel that carries it, whatever ſtorms or tempeſts may befal it.
2.The covenant and promiſe ofGod with the church, is its abundant ſecurity, Matth.xvi. 18. "Upon this rockwill Ibuild
66 my church, andthegates ofhell ſhallnot prevail against it."
The faithfulness ofGod is pawned for his peoples ſecurity.
If thechurch fail,God's faithfulneſs muſt failwith it.
3.But above all, the presence of Chriſt, inthemidst ofit, puts it out of alldanger ofmiſcarrying.
Inthat promiſe, Lo, Iam withyou alway, are found allmunitions and fortifications whatsoever : here we have his eye ofprovidence, hishand of power, and whatsoever elſe is needful to ſupport and ſecure it.
God accounts his preſence ourſafety, Isaiah xli. 10. Theenemies ofGod and his people account it to too, Exod. xiv. 25. and ſhall it notbe ſo in our account ? Provoke not the Lord
Jeſus to withdraw his preſence, and fear not the confultations andoppoſitions ofhell or earth.
Infer. 3. From this ſpiritual presence of Christallhis faithfulminiftersshoulddraw encouragement, amidst the manifolddifficultiesanddiscouragements they daily encounterin this work and fervice. Chriſt is withthem, they workin fellowship with him, letthem not be diſmayed.
The difficulties anddiſcouragements the miniſters of Chriſt meet with are great and many ; and the more faithful and ſucceſsfulany ofthemarein their master's work,the fiercer oppoſition they must expect: beſides, all the diſcouragements rifing out oftheir own hearts, which arenot afew, they muſt encounter.
First, The oppoſition of enemies from abroad.
Secondly, The obſtinacy and ſtubbornneſs ofthehearts they workupon.
Satan is a jealous prince, and will raiſe allmanner ofoutcries and oppoſition against thoſe heavenly Heralds, that come to proclaim a new prince in his dominions, and withdraw his miferable ſubjects from their curſed allegiance tohim. What is ittopreach the goſpel (faid Luther) but to drive the fury ofthe world upon the head ofthat preacher ? But thiswould be eafilyſupportable, did ourworkbut profper, upon the hearts ofour hearers. But this, alas ! isthe killing confideration of
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all; we know the worth of fouls, and howgreata ſervice it is to ſave them from death, James v. 20. We alſo know the
terrors ofthe Lord, which excite our utmoſt endeavours to perfuade men, 2 Cor. v. 11. We feel the compaſſions ofChrift a 다 tirring in our own bowels, which makes us long after their falvation, Phil. i. 8. We preach, we pray, yea, we travail again as it were in birth until Chriſt be formed in them, Gal. iv.
19. And when we have done all, we find their hearts as iron, and braſs, Jer. vi. 28. We mournin ſecretwhenwe cannot prevail, andoft times ourhands hang down with difcouragement, and we are ready to ſay with theprophet, Jer. xx. 9. We will speak no more in his name. But here is our relief,under alldiſcouragements from abroad and athome ; the work is Chriſt's, the power is his, he is with us, and we are workers together with him.
There was a time when three thouſand fouls were born to Chriſt at one fermon, it maybe now three thousand ſermons may be preached and not a foul converted: yet let us not be diſcouraged, a time ofeminent converfion is promiſed, and to be expected in theſe
latterdays, Ezek. xlvii. 9. when the living waters of the goſpel ſhall make every thingto live whither theycome, and whenthe fiſhers, i. e. the miniſters Chriſt, ſhall not fiſh with angels, as now they do, taking now one, then another fingle convert, but ſhall ſpread forth their nets, and incloſe multitudes at a
draught : " when they ſhall fly as a cloud, and as thedoves to " their windows." God nowopens a door ofopportunity beyond expectation; O that the hearts of miniſters and people were ſuitably enlarged, and thepeople made willing in the day ofhis power.
Infer. 4. Hence we alſo infer thegreat dignity ofthe minifte rial office, and thefuitable respect andhonour due to all Chrift's fuithful ministers.
The Lord Jeſus himself is repreſented by them, they ſtandinhis ſtead, 2 Cor. v. 20. his authority is clothedupon them ; the honours and diſhonour given them, redound to the perfon of Chriſt. TheGalatians received Paul as an angel ofGod, even as Chriſt Jeſus, Gal. iv. 14.
Yet how have their perſons and office been vilified and deſpiſed in thisdegenerate age ! how many learned, pious, laborious, peaceful ministers of Chriſt have, in this age, been hunted up anddown inthe worldas wild beafts, been made the filth and off-fcouring of all thingsunto thisday ? 1 Cor. iv. 13.
The word ſignifies that dirtand filth which Scavengers rake together inthe ſtreets, tobe carried to the dunghill,
VOL. IV.
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Nodoubt but Satan drives agreat defign inthisto invalidate their ministry, diſcourage theirlabours, andbreaktheirhearts : bat Jefus Chriſtwillfupportus under alltheſe abules, wipe off thedirt thrown atus forhisname fake, and referve ſome ofus forbetter days.
Infer. 5. IsChrift preſent in his ordinances, what astrongengagement then lies upon you all to attendandwait affiduously upon theministry oftheword, andtobring allyours, that arecapable, there to wait upon Christ withyou? Wereadinthedays of Chriſt's flesh, whenheperformed hismiraculouscures upon the fick, what thronging therewas afterhim; how parents brought their children, maſters their ſervants, preffing in multitudes, untiling the houſe tolet down their fick to him, Luke xii. 1.
Ah, ſhall men be ſo earnest for a cure for their bodies, andſo indifferent for their fouls ? 'Tis true, the ſpiritofChrift isnot tied by any neceffity toact always with the word; he acts as anarbitrary agent, John iii. 8. The windbloweth whereit lifteth : but it is engagement enough towaitcontinuallyuponhis ordinances, thathe ſometimes graciously, and effectuallyconcurreth with them. Tis goodto lie inthe way of the Spirit; and there is ableffing pronounceduponthem thatwaitcontinually athis gates, Prov. viii.34. Othereforeneglectno ſeaſon within your reach ; forwho knows but itmaybe theſeaſon oflife tothy foul?
Infer. 6. What an unspeakable lofsis the loss of thegospel,fec. ing the presence of Christ comes andgoes with it ? When the goſpel departs, the fpirit ofChriſt departs with it fromamong men; no more converfions, inGod's ordinary way, are then tobe expected : well therefore might the Lord ſay, Hofea ix.
12. Woe tothemwhen Idepartfrom them. The fpirit may, in fome ſenſe, depart, whilst the ordinances are left ſtanding, for a time, among the people; but then expectno ſuch bleſ fings or benefits from them.
But whenGod takes away ordinances and ſpirittoo, woe indeed to that people ; and are therenot finsamongstus preſaging ſuch ajudgment ? O England! reflect upon thy barrenneſs under it; where be the fruits anſwerable to fuch precious means ? The goſpel is a golden lamp, the graces of the ſpiritcommunicatedby it are golden oil ; as in that ſtately viſion, Zech. iv. WillGodmaintain fuch a lamp, fed with ſuch precious oil, for men totrifle and playby ?
And no leſs ominous and portentous is that bitter enmity to the gospel, and the ferious profeſſors ofit, which (I cannot ſpeak without horror) is every where foundamongus; this
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great hatred brings onthedays ofviſitation, andthedays of recompence, with a fwiftanddreadfulmotionupon anypeople,
Hofea ix. 7.
Infer. 7. IfChrist bepresent, by way ofspirit andenergy in bis ordinances, then there is no reason to despair ofthe converfion andfalvation of the greatest finners that yet lie deadunder the gospel. Whatthough their hearts be hard, their underſtanding dark, andtheir wills never ſo perverſe and obſtinate ? all must giveway, andopen in the dayofChriſt's power, when his ſpirit joins himself with the word.
This makes it an irreſiſtible word ; 'tis glorious toobſerve the hearts ofpublicans and harlots openingand yielding to the voice ofChriſt, Matth. xxi.
31. What were thoſe three thousand perſons pricked at the heart by Peter's fermon, Acts ii. 36. but the very men that, with wicked hands, had crucified the Lord Jesus ? And what were the converted Corinthians, but idolators, turned from dumb idols, whoremongers, adulterers, effeminate ? &c. 1 Cor. xii . 2. and vi. 11. Godhath his elect among the vileft ofmen: thegoſpel will find them out, anddraw them home to Chriſt, whenthe ſpirit animates andbleſſeth it.
Well might the apoftletherefore ſay, that the goſpel preached with theholyGhoſt, ſentdown fromheaven, is an object worthy for angels to behold with admiration, & Pet. i. 12. What though Satan has ſtrongly fortified their ſouls against Chriſt, with ignorance, pre. judiceand enmity; yet the weapons ofour watfare are mighty, through God, to pull down theſe ſtrongholds.
Despair not thereforeofyourcarnal anddead-hearted relations,bring them to the goſpel upon the encouragement oftheſe words of Chriſt,
Johnv. 25. "Thehour cometh,yea, and now is,thatthe dead " ſhallhear the voiceofthe Son ofGod, and theythathear it
" ſmalllive."
Infer. 8. Is Christ spiritually present in his ordinances ? O then whatan endeared affection shouldevery graciousfoulbear to the ordinances of God ! They are the walks of Chriſt, and his ſpirit, theappointed times andplaces foryour meetingand communionwith him; there your fouls firſt met with Chriſt; there youbegan your acquaintance with him; there you have had many ſweetconverſes with him ſince that day; they were the feed of your regeneration, 1 Pet. i. 23. the bread of life, by which your foulshavebeen ſuſtained ever ſince, and therefore tobemoreelteemed by you than your neceſſary food, Job xxiii.
12.
Here you have found therichest cordials to revive and recoveryourdrooping ſpirits, whenready to fink away in a faint
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