Our bleffed Lord himself was fenfible of his

want of this, which put him upon making that deep complaint, My God, my God, why haft thou farfaken me? And if this was done to the green tree, well may it be done to the dry: If our Lord and Head suffered, for a time, the hidings of his Father's face, it is no wonder that his followers are tried in the fame manner, and fometimes left to walk in darkness.

And not only, in appearance or to their own apprehenfion, but in reality, the gracious influences of the Spirit, may, to a great degree, be withdrawn; for which there may be wife and juft reafons. And in this cafe, how often do his people complain, that they are forfaken, forgotten, caft off for ever? But whatever conclufions of this kind they are apt to make, God never so departs, but that he is still with them. His relation to them is never diffolved, nor his loving-kindness withdrawn. He will not retract his purpose, nor withdraw his grace whereby they are fet apart for himfelf: Their union to Chrift fhall never be broken off, nor they ceafe to be his members: They shall not be caft out of his family, nor finally forfaken of his Spirit, after all that he hath done in them as his living temples; His covenant fhall stand fast with them, and nothing fhall be able to feparate them from his love, or keep them out of his kingdom. With respect to all this, it is the privilege of every child of God, however dealt with, not to be alone, but to have their heavenly Father with them now, as well as heretofore; at all times, in every place, and in all conditions and circumstances of life: In profpe

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rity,

rity, and in affliction; when lifted up, and when caft down; in health, and fickness; in life, and in death; in this world, and in the next. Whatever changes any of them have to go through: Nevertheless, every one of them in particular may fay, I am continually with thee. But this leads us to confider the third thing.

3. The happiness of the faints in being with God continually.

To be with God, is the fum of heaven; and even while we are here, it includes as much of it, as is fuitable to our prefent ftate.

In their being with God, his people are with one of infinite perfections, and all made over by covenant, and engaged and imployed by love for them.

What can they want, who are with God, whose all-fufficiency is open for their fupply? What can they fear, when being with him, who hath Almighty power to protect? What duties can be too difficult to discharge, that he calls them to? Under what burdens need they fink, having his Spirit and grace to affift, fupport, fweeten and fanctify them? In what place need they be fad or folitary, while they live, and how willing may they be to die, that they may be with him for ever? Why art thou caft down, O my foul, and why art thou difquieted within me? Hope in God, for I fhall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. He that dwelleth in the fecret place of the Moft High, fhall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. The Lord God is a fun and a fhield: the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from those that

walk

walk uprightly. And this is the God I am always continually with.

A God who is a fun to fhine upon my path, and be the fountain of all bleffings to me; and a shield to protect me in them: He will give the grace that is moft to be defired in this world; and that glory which I am breathing after, in another; and withhold nothing that is good for me by the way.

Though afflicted, I am with one who pities me: though in temptation, as the God of peace, he will bruise fatan under my feet, and do it shortly. Through all the difficulties of life, he will be my guide. And in the view and approach of death, when flesh and heart shall fail, God will be the ftrength of my heart, and afterward my portion for ever. Happy is the people that is in fuch a cafe; happy indeed, whofe God is the Lord. May every one of you now in his prefence, be of the happy number: and then in the multitude of your thoughts within you, may his comforts delight your fouls.

4. To what is this happiness owing. The happinefs of the people of God, in being continually with him, is owing to his keeping his hold of them. This is acknowledged by the Pfalmift here: Thou haft holden me by my right-hand. Having obtained help of God, we continue with him.

And the neceffity of this help from God may be inferred,

1. From the weakness of grace in his faints, while they are on earth.

2. Upon the account of fin and corruption, which

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which dwelleth in them, and which they cannot quite be freed from, while on earth.

3. From the unwearied diligence of fatan, who as a roaring lion, continually goeth about feeking whom he may devour: So that it is by the mighty power of God, that any are kept through faith unto falvation.

But that the people of God are, and shall be upheld by him, this is fure,

As the love of God is unchangeable. If. liv. 10. For the mountains fhall depart, and the hills fhall be removed, but my kindness fhall not depart, faith the Lord that bath mercy on thee.

The covenant made with them, is everlasting. Hence fincere believers are accepted of God, and continued with him, notwithstanding lamented failings, which for the fake of the Mediator, God is ready to pardon.

The interceffion of Chrift is continued, and prevailing. And believers abiding with God on earth, is the refult of his pleading in heaven.

God is always mindful of his promife, and faithful to it, wherein he hath faid, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, Heb. xiii. 3.

APPLICATION.

1. Is it the temper and duty of a gracious foul to be fill with God? Such may hence learn, what to think of their state, whofe character is the reverse to this: who instead of being continually with God, are utter ftrangers to him, and live without him; are ftill with fin contriving it, or committing it; ftill with the world thinking of it, and delighting in it. O that they whose confciences tell them, this is their cafe, would lay it

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to heart; eftrangement from God being contrary to the ends of creation and redemption, and if continued in, will iffue in an eternal feparation from him.

2. Are gracious fouls, when acting like themfelves, continually with God? How much do they forget their character, who would be accounted fuch, and yet are feldom with him, if ever?

Cannot fome of you remember the time when your meditation of God was fweet, your defires after him ardent, your applications to him frequent? Is it fo ftill: or is it far otherwife? How unreasonable is the change? Is not God the fame? Should he not be the fame to you? How much have you fuffered by that estrangement? Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, Rev. ii. 5.

3. How defireable is the condition of a gracious foul, who is continually with God? How fafe, how comfortable, how happy?