The duty charged upon us, is, To draw nigh to God.

The mercy promised, is, He will draw nigh to us.

The direction given lies in the later part, teaching us so to performe the dutie, that we may obtaine the mercie, Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purifie your hearts, ye double-minded.

My businesse lies in the two former points, The du­tie, and the mercie, Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

The Text supposeth not any locall distance be­tween God and us, and so not our locall drawing nigh to God, or Gods to us. In that sense we cannot be nearer to God then we are, for he is wheresoever we are▪ He is not farre from every one of us (Act. 17. 28.) for in him we live, and move, and have our being; There is one God and Father of all, who is above all, and in you all, and thorow all (Ephes. 4. 6.) Over all (men) by his power; in all (the Saints) by his Spirit, and thorow all (the world) by his providence. We are invited to come into his presence, from whose presence (with all our strength and activitie) we cannot goe, Psal. 139. 7. Whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into Heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, thou art there; If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me; and thy right hand shall hold me. Here then we have no­thingQuod cavillan­tur, [...]ecundariā & quasi pedisse [...]uam esse Dei grat [...]em nostrae praepara [...]ioni, quia Deum approptuquare posteriore lo [...]o di [...]t Iacobus, fr [...]vo [...]um est. C [...]lv. Perperam ex hoc lo [...]o Pelagi­ani colligunt conversionem à [...]obu incipere. Lez. to do with corporall distances or drawings nigh. The sense is spirituall.

The Pelagians of old, with their successours, Papists and Arminians, corrupt this Text, and those of like im­portance, with such glosses as these. We are bid to draw nigh to God; surely then, we have power in our selves to doe it. We are bid to draw nigh to God, before he draws nigh to us; surely then, we prepare our selves and grace follows.

But this and the like Scriptures shew us our dutie, not our abilitie: what we ought to doe, not what we can: They assure us what God will doe, when we [Page 3] draw nigh to him, not what he is bound to doe, Grace is free. And though we are invited to come to God, yet till God come to us, we cannot come to him. We are spoken to, under the tenour, and in the language of the Covenant of grace, which giveth the strength for every duty it cals us to: and with that voice, Draw nigh to God, conveighs a power to draw us nigh to God; our motions are not towards him, till he moveth to­wards us, The Lord looked down from Heaven to behold all the children of men (Psal. 14.) And what saw he? The report is made thus, Rom. 3. 12. They are all gone out of the way, there is none seeketh after God; Not a face look­ing heaven-ward, not a foot stepping towards God. The wicked are estranged from the womb, assoon as they are born, they go astray, speaking lies (Psal. 58. 3.) Such al­so is the language and the vvay of the righteous, at their naturall birth. The vvhole earth (in this sense) is but of one speech, They speak lies before they can speak; and of one vvay, and that's out of the vvay, they goe astray, before they can goe, Assoon as they are born they goe astray, speaking lies, They are estranged from the womb. No man ever came to the Lord, till the Lord brought him. Man must have preventing grace, concurring grace, and perfecting grace. Grace doth all; though they to vvhom God hath begun in grace, have a power to move, yet vvithout him they cannot move actually, Draw me (saith the Church, Cant. 1. 4.) we will runne after thee. No man (saith Christ) can come unto me, except the Father which sent me draw him (Joh. 6. 44.) A meer naturall man hath no life, a godly man cannot use his life alone. The former hath no power to act; the later cannot act, much lesse compleat his [Page 4] power vvithout Christ. Without me, ye (my Disciples) can doe nothing, Joh. 15. Conversion doth not begin at us, nor is it ended by us. They vvho have a stock of grace, cannot trade vvith it, or improve it vvithout Christs co-partnership. Our drawing nigh to God, is not only a spirituall act, but a supernaturall.

There are two vvaies vvhereby vve draw nigh to God.

• 1. By conversion, and in all the actings of repent­ance.
• 2. In prayer, and in the use of every holy Ordi­nance.

Only a touch upon the former: I intend not to run the compasse of that point.

Man is born afar off from God. He is afar off by a double distance.

1. By a naturall distance, as he is a creature; and thus, not only man, but the very Angels in heaven are afarre off from God. Who is able to measure the distance be­tween Creatour and creature, between finite and in­finite?

2. Man is afarre off from God by a moral distance, as he is a sinner, and this (if a greater distance then in­finite can be imagined) is greater then the former. Who can reckon or cast up how farre it is, between holy and unholy, between pure and uncleane? The naturall di­stance can never be reduced; The morall may.

God made man neer himself, but vvhen Adam fell; God and man parted. And man, in that condition, is so farre from God, that he is, without God in the world, (Ephes. 2. 12.) that is, vvithout the true knowledge of him, vvithout dependance upon him, vvithout delight [Page 5] in him, vvithout obedience to him. Conversion is our approach to God, in that vve draw neer to him, and live neer him by the bloud of Christ.

In this Glasse we see how sad they look, or have reason to look, vvho lie in a state of unconversion, They are afarre off from God. We pity those who live farre from the Sun, in cold Countries and climates, vvhere for many moneths darknesse covers them. How are they to be pitied, vvho live far off from God, frozen vvith the cold, and vvrapt up in the darknesse of their naturall condition?

And this shews us, vvhat a noble undertaking it is to promote that vvhich brings man nigh to God, vvhich gathers scattered souls, and binds them up in the bundle of life, vvhich is in Christ. It is a noble and a glorious undertaking, well becomming the greatest Councel, and highest Magistracy in the world, to take care that Nations and Kingdoms may be brought neer to God. Some have told us of Englands three conversions; O that it may be the honour of this present Parliament, yet to advance a fourth conversion of England, that Eng­land may be converted beyond all former conversions, that it might be brought yet nearer to God, that im­plicite faith, and blinde obedience (two Popish relicks) may no vvhere goe for conversion. The planting, pro­tecting and encouraging of an able, faithfull, paine­full, soul-quickning Ministerie, is the vvay, and the only ordinary vvay to effect this. Thus a Nation may be born at once; and if once thus born, it is made for ever. The Apostle tels us in the story of his own con­version, Act. 26. that God drew nigh to him, that he might draw others nigh to God; I (saith the Lord) [Page 6] have appeared to thee for this purpose, to make thee a Mini­ster, and a witnesse, delivering thee from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee. To the Gentiles, vvho vvere they? A people farre off from God, for that vvas the difference between Jew and Gentile; the Jewes vvere nigh, and the Gentiles afar off. I send thee to the Gen­tiles; for what? To open their eyes, and to turn them from darknes to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. The tide and the winde of the Apostles Ministery vvas to meet vvith the stream of the corrupted Gentiles, and to turn it back. For thus it is in conversion, we all by nature like a stream run away from God our fountain: but vvhen the tide and vvinde, the Spirit and the Word meet vvith this vvandring stream, it runs back to the fountain, and the vvaters draw again to the spring-head. Hence many stand vvondering at the conversion of sinners, as they at Jordan, and at the sea; What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? Thou Jor­dan, that thou wast driven back? What ails the sea of mans corruption, and the overflowing streams of lust, vvhich issue from the heart of man, that they are dri­ven back? Even this, the Word meets them, and turns them. That there may be such a turn, improve (I beseech you) the utmost of your power and oppor­tunities in sending powerfull Preachers into all the dark corners of this Land, as Paul was to the Gen­tiles, vvho vvere afarre off, To turne them from darkenesse to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.

But besides this first conversion, there is a second. The former is a conversion from a sinfull state; this is a conversion from sinfull acts. The former is that, vvhere­by [Page 7] they who lie in a state of nature, receiving grace, Draw nigh to God. And the later is that, wherein they who have grace, receiving more, draw nearer to God. A Christian is often converted, his whole life upon earth is a continued conversion. Every act of sin is an aversion from God; and every act of grace is a conver­sion to him. A great deal of a Christians progresse is to goe backward; and much of his worke, the undo­ing of what he hath done. And this the Apostle aimes at, specially in this place, for he writes to the twelve Tribes scattered abroad; who were such as professed Christ, embraced and practised Gospel-truths. These he invites to draw nigh to God, that he might draw nigh to them. They who are nearest God in this life, may yet be nearer him. And many are not so near God, as they have been. For as hypocrites apostatize quite from God: so they who are sincere doe often backslide from God: unto such the Apostle saith, Draw nigh, let your backslidings be healed, and your breaches re­paired. How often doe the Prophets call after such wanderers and out-liers? (Jer. 3. 12.) Return, thou back­sliding Israel. Israel was a people in Covenant with God, yet they withdrew from him (Chap. 8. 4.) Shall he turn away, and not return? What? Have ye drawn off from God by your sinnings, and will you not draw on again by your repentings? Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back, by a perpetuall backsliding? What, nothing but backsliding? (Mal. 3. 7.) Ye are gone away from mine ordinances (they who forsake the pure wor­ship of God, goe away from God) Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord. Thus the Lord indents and engages with his departing people. The [Page 8] Apostles caution implies as much, (Heb. 3. 12.) Take heed, lest there be in any of you (in any of you, Saints, be­lievers) an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the li­ving God.

This is an important dutie, and of perpetuall use. Suppose a man hath drawn nigh to God in that first conversion, even he must draw nigh in daily conver­sion, and get nearer God, till he enjoy God fully. Be­sides, who is it that slips not, fals not sometimes in his way, and that sometimes doth not decline and fall back, though he cannot (being ever upheld by Christ) fall away.

Let me remember such to draw nigh to God, turning from those speciall sins, by which they have departed from him. Consider in what you have most declined from God, since you draw nigh to him, and let your return answer your departure. He that hath depart­ed by pride, let him return by humilitie: he that hath departed by unbelief, let him return by faith: he that hath departed by intemperance, let him return by sobrietie: he that hath departed by malice or envie, let him return by love and charity: he that hath de­parted by injustice, let him return by doing right to all, by restoring where he hath wrong'd, and by shew­ing mercie to the poor: And he that hath departed by self-seeking, let him return by laying out himself for God, his cause and people in all the concernments wherein he is engaged. The Lord looks that upon such a day as this, we should consider our selves in our with-drawings from him, and so draw nigh un­to him. He is this day waiting for our comming home.

And as he waits for our personall, so for our pub­like returnings. Consider wherein the Nation hath withdrawne from God, and let the Nation returne. Samael bespeaks all the house of Israel (1 Sam. 7. 3.) saying, If ye doe return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods: and there is one in speci­all of which I warn you, Put away the strange gods, and Ashtaroth. Why doth he say, Put away the strange gods, and Ashtaroth? Was not Ashtaroth a strange god? And might not that Idol have been wrapt up under the generall name of strange gods? Yes, Ashtaroth had been involved under that notion; but because Ashtaroth was a notorious, a famous Idol, after which that people had gone a whoring from God, therefore that Idol is named. Put away your strange gods, and be sure you put away Ashtaroth. It is a like phrase with that, 2 Sam. 22. 1. David spake unto the Lord the words of this Song, in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: Why, was not Saul one of his enemies? Yes, Saul was his chief enemy, and therefore he gives praise, not only for his deliverance from all his enemies, but from such an enemy by name. Saul was too bigg an enemy to goe under the generall name of his enemies. Thus in the day of our humbling for nationall sins, we must draw nigh to God from every sin, but especially from our Ashtaroth, from that evil wherein we have most dishonoured God.

Honourable and Beloved, You have been pleased sometimes to send out your discovering Ordinances, and in them to lay your hands (as it were) upon some speciall sins of the Nation, charging us to confesse and [Page 10] bewail them before the Lord. You have instanced in the superstition and idolatries of the former times, now draw the Land nearer God in holy worship; you have instanced in the bloud of the Saints, shed in the Marian and other persecutions; draw nigh unto God, in giving all countenance and support to the Saints; be so farre from letting their bloud be shed, or their bodies be wounded, that if their names and reputati­ons be wounded (doe as that repenting Jaylour did the corporall) wash those wounds, and heal the bruises which the scourge of tongues hath made upon them. We have heretofore been sensible that the Nation hath departed from God, by laying heavy burdens up­on the consciences of his people; let it be your care we may return, by withdrawing those, and all other bur­thens. This is the great duty of a Fast, Isa. 58. 6. This (saith God) is the Fast I have chosen, to undoe the hea­vy burthen, to let the oppressed goe free, and to break every yoke. Among all oppressions the oppression of con­science is the greatest. Other great sins, profaning of the Lords-day, swearing, drunkennesse, have been called out by name, and arraigned, as our Nationall departures from God. Let all draw nigh to God by an eminent practice of the contrary duties and graces.

Our drawing nigh to God in both these conversi­ons, namely, from a sinfull state, and from all sinfull acts, are necessarily antecedaneous to our drawing nigh unto God in prayer and fasting; for, The prayer of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord. How can such draw nigh to God in prayer? The person must be accepted before the service can. And if a godly [Page 11] man (which is possible for a time, and under a tem­ptation) regard iniquity in his heart (David saith it of himself, Psal. 66. 18.) the Lord will not hear his prayer. So that, there must be a drawing nigh to God by a double conversion, a conversion from a sinfull state, and a conversion from sinfull acts, before we are fit to draw nigh to God in any holy dutie, especial­ly in extraordinary humblings of our souls before him.

And that such a drawing nigh to God is the proper intendment and scope of the Apostle in this place, is clear from the words following, which seem to inter­pret this; For assoon as he had said, Draw nigh to God, he adds, vers. 9. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep, &c. Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up, v. 10. Here's the busines of the text, and the busines of the day. The Point is,

That prayer and humbling of the soul, is a drawing nigh to God.

Every ordinance brings us neer to God; Levit. 10. 7. I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, or, in [...] In propinqui [...] meis my neighbours. The Priests under the Ceremoniall worship, had the speciall honour of that Title to be called, Gods nigh ones; He caused them to come neer un­to him in holy services, Numb. 16. 9. Now all the Saints are, A holy Priesthood, to offer up spirituall sacrifices, ( [...] Pet. 2. 5.) they dwell so neer to God, that they are all his neighbours. But though they alwaies dwell neer God, yet they doe not alwaies come neer to God; to doe so is a speciall work of grace, as to be so is their state of grace. Heb. 11. 6. He that commeth to God, must believe that God is; that is, he that praies, must believe. [Page 12] Prayer is a comming to, and a meeting with God, Amos 4. [...]2. I will doe thus unto thee, and because I will doe thus, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. This meet­ing may have a double sense; it may have the sense of a challenge; and the sense of a supplication. Of a challenge, and so the Prophet doth (as it were) dare those people to whom he speaks in the Name of the Lord. The Lord will doe thus unto thee, and seeing he will doe so, prepare to meet thy God; muster thy forces, and gather all thy strength; harden thy heart, and set thy face against God, see how thou canst make thy part good against him. In that sense the word is used (Luk. 14. 31.) What King going to make warre a­gainst another King, sitteth not down first, and consideret [...], whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that com­meth against him with twenty thousand? To meet him, is, to fight with him, to undertake him in the field: So saith the Prophet, God hath gathered his Army, he is comming against you, see now if you be able to fight a battell with him. Dare you meet him in the field? Thus it speaks a challenge. It is likewise the language of an humble supplication (so most interpret that place) seeing the Lord will doe thus, O Israel, Prepare to meet thy God; put on thy mourning weeds, take up a lamentation, get thy petition ready, go forth upon thy knee, and beseech him to spare thee. So A­bigail met David, when he marched with a resolution to destroy Nabal and his Family; the noble spirited woman came forth and met David; what to doe? Not to contend with him, but to supplicate him, 1 Sam. 25. 23, 24. Praying is such a meeting with God. When Saul prevailed in battell against the Philistin [...]s, [Page 13] he had thoughts to prosecute his victorie, and attempt them a second time; Let us goe down (saith he) after the Philistines by night, and spoyl them, and let us not leave a man of them; Let us rally again and rout them quite: the people answer, Doe whatsoever seems good unto thee, renew the battell, if thou pleasest: Stay, saith the Priest, be not too hasty, it is good to aske counsell and a blessing of God, before we venture: Then said the Priest, let us draw neer hither unto God; that is, let us pray, and by Vrim and Thummim enquire of the Lord what his minde is in this thing; he ex­presses that dutie of advising with God under this no­tion of drawing neer unto God. Hence it is that ordi­nances of worship are called, the face, or presence of God. Cursed Cain complains in such a language, Gen. 4. 14. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth (that is, from the society of men) and from thy face shall I be hid; that is, I shall not be admitted to of­fer sacrifice with hope of acceptance any more. Hence it is said at the 16. verse, that Cain went out from the pre­sence of the Lord; that is, he went like a man excom­municated and banished from the Church of God, and the meetings of his publike worship. The wor­ship of the Jews is called an appearing before God, Exod. 23. 17. David breathes out his desires in the same ex­pression, When shall I come and appear before God, Psal. 42. 2. And in his song of thanksgiving, his spirit ri­ses to this strain, 1 Chron. 16. 29. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name: Bring an offering, and come before him, worship the Lord in the beauty of holi­nesse.

And if so, we see, first, that is a priviledge which [Page 14] most account a burthen. Holy duties are lifted at as burthens, and the carnall heart cries out, What a wearinesse? (Mal. 1. 13.) They are burdens indeed, but upon no other true account, then as honour is a burden. When we pray we draw nigh to God. Is it no honour to draw nigh to great Princes, and to be admitted in­to the presence of a King? Will any reckon this a wea­rinesse? Were our hearts spiritualized, every time we pray we would look upon our selves as admitted into the presence chamber of the King of Heaven, and we should say (as Jacob at Bethel) of every place we pray in, This is no other (neither better nor worse) then the house of God; this is the gate of heaven, Gen. 28. 17. Prayer is the true Jacobs ladder set upon the earth, and the top of it reaching Heaven, by which we ascend to God, and God descends to us. The Queen of She­ba counted it a high favour to stand before Solomon, and she envied his servants, whose attendance gave them that priviledge. When the Apostle had said, that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh, was no­thing, a Question is started in the next words, What then is the advantage of the Jew? And what is the profit of circumcision? He answers, Much every way, chiefly, Because to them were committed the Oracles of God. The Jews kept the records, they were Masters of those Rolls, which God sent from heaven; these occasion'd their frequent recourses to God, and advisings with him; this made them a people nigh to God; this was the chief ad­vantage of the Jew, & the profit of circumcision. Christ saith (Mat. 11. 27.) that Capernaum was a City exalted upto heaven. Why lifted up to heaven? The Gospel was preached there, which might have drawne them [Page 15] nigh to God; this was their exaltation to heaven; to be exalted to heaven, is the greatest exaltation. When that ambitions Monarch, (Isa. 14. 13.) would let out his spirit of pride to the utmost, and shew the very head of that monster, heresolves thus, I will a­scend to heaven, I will exalt my throne above the starres of God. Mortall man could not imagine higher then hea­ven. Capernaum was exalted up to heaven; she had more then any worldly honour by the enjoyment of that ordinance, the preaching of the Gospel. While God vouchsafeth any people such meetings as these, he ex­alts them to heaven. O take heed your hearts be not found groveling upon the earth; take heed you doe not thinke it a hell, a pain, a vexation to be in God­approaching, and man-exalting duties. I know wearinesses will be upon the flesh, there are weaknes­ses and distempers there, but chide them away, enter­tain them not; number it among your choisest privi­ledges to converse with God.

Secondly, Learne whence it is that the Saints so highly prize and delight in these duties: The world wonders what they finde in them, where the sweet­nesse, what the comfort is, what secret golden mines they finde in these diggings, when themselves finde nothing but burdensome stones and clay.

The reason is, because the Saints draw nigh to God in these duties, and they that draw nigh to God, cannot but finde great treasures; they that meet with God, meet with all delights. Davids soul was a thirst for God, for the living God (not for a Kingdome) Psal. 42. 2.) And the one thing which he desired of the Lord, was, that he might dwell in the house of the Lord all the [Page 16] daies of his life. It was good being there. Why? What, because of any incomes from the world? No, this is it, That I may behold the beauty of the Lord. If a soul gets a sight of God in prayer, it hath enough in prayer. Communion with God is better then all things, for which we have communion with him. Prayer is better then any worldly thing we pray for. This means is better then the end: and God to whom we pray is better then any spirituall thing we pray for. This object is better then any end. It is the highest re­ward, the very wages which the Saints look for in these duties, to finde God in them (Psal. 65. 4.) Bles­sed is the man whom thou chusest, and causest to approach unto thee. Where were these approaches made? The next words shew us where, That he may dwell in thy Courts, we shall be satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house, even of thy holy Temple. We shall be satisfied. Is it any wonder to see a man delight in satisfying goodnesse? What is it that any man desires but satisfaction? What is heaven but satisfaction? The reason why the world is so much desired, is, because it gives so little satisfa­ction. (Men still hope for further satisfaction.) And the reason why holy things are desired, is, because they give so much satisfaction: The Saints never think they have enough of them, because they ever finde e­nough in them. In heaven and heavenly things sa­tisfaction and appetite are perpetually interchangeable, We shall be satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house, even of thy holy Temple. Unlesse carnall men finde satisfaction in their own houses, they finde none in Gods. Tem­ple-comforts please them not, unlesse they may have their fill of Kitchin-comforts. And here's the [Page 17] reason why carnall men and hypocrites, who formal­ly approach unto God in these duties, are so soon weary of them: for unles they receive some outward sensible, it may be sensuall advantage, some present pay, unles they thrive in worldly things, they thinke their la­bour lost, and their time too. To what purpose is this waste? They know not what you mean, by the goodnesse of Gods House, they understand not this lan­guage. Hence that cry (Isa. 58. 2.) Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not? What was it that troubled them? What, that God was not neer them? No, but because creature-comforts and successes were not neer them. Prayer brought no money into their purses, nor peace into their State. Now, the Saints are never weary of prayer and fasting, though they pine and starve at them, because they finde God in them, in whom they are feasted with sweet wine, and various dishes of delight, when the world yeelds them not a cup of cold water, or a bit of bread. God alone is e­nough, and all, him they finde vvhen they finde no­thing. These heavenly Epicures feed fat and full on Christ, and drinke large draughts of the wine of his consolation, when they have no more in the crea­ture, then Dives had in hell, not a drop of vvater to cool their tongues.

Thirdly, If these duties be a drawing nigh to God, I beseech you, consider whether you intend them so or no. Doe you draw nigh to God when you pray and hear? Have you been nigh to God this day? We are in the exercise of the point we are speaking of. It would be sad, if any soul should be farre from God in that duty, where the whole businesse is to draw nigh [Page 18] to God. It is ill to be absent from God at any time; but then worst, vvhen vve seem to come into his pre­sence. It is possible to have God in our mouths, and not at all in our thoughts: to have God at our tongues end, and our hearts at the vvorlds end. A man may be as farre from God at a prayer, as at a play: As farre from God at a holy fast, as at a drunken feast. Thus the Lord charged his ancient people (Isa. 29. 13.) This people draw neer me with their mouth, and with their lips they doe honour me, but have removed their heart far from me: So the Prophet (Jer. 12. 2.) Lord, thou art nigh in their mouth, but thou art farre from their reins. O that such might be awakened out of this sinfull sleep, as Jacob out of his naturall, and forced to cry out (as he) Surely God is in this place, and we knew it not, Gen. 28. 16.

If it shall be asked, How may vve draw nigh to God?

I vvould answer these three things about it.

• 1. We must have a right vvay.
• 2. We must have a right staff of strength.
• 3. We must have the right steps to draw neer to God. Your vvay, your staffe, your steps, must be considered.

First, If you would draw nigh to God, look to your vvay, and exercise faith about it. The way is Je­sus Christ. I (saith he) am the way, the truth and the life, no man commeth unto the Father, but by me, Joh. 14. 6. There is no choice of waies to God: if we misse one, we have missed all. The Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto God, Heb. 7. 19. What is that better [Page 19] hope? Christ the object hoped for, is this hope; our hope depends so much on him for the best things, that he is our better hope, by which (with assurance) we may draw▪ nigh unto God. That's the Apostles encourage­ment, Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore, brethren, boldnesse, to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us thorow the vail, that is to say, his flesh; Let us draw neer with true hearts.

Secondly, The staffe of [...]rength, by which vve draw nigh to God, is the holy Ghost. Edifie your selves in your most holy faith (Jude v. 20.) Praying in the holy Ghost; so we translate: others thus, Praying by the holy Ghost, that is, by the power of the holy Ghost: For, Rom. 8. We know not what to pray as we ought, but the Spirit it self maketh interces [...]ion for us with groans that cannot be uttered. As it is the office of Christ to inter­cede with God for us: So it is the office of the holy Ghost to make those intercessions in us, which vve put [...] Particula [...] ad nos laboran­tes resertur, quorum tamen vis omnis ab e [...] spiritu proficis­citur, qui ficut nos penitus col­lapsos erexit, ita etiam ere­ctos regit. i­deo (que) dici [...]ur i­pse vicissim on [...] attollere ex al­tera parte, ne sub eo satisca­mus. Beza. up to God. All the prayers which prevail with God, are formed, vvrought and fashioned in our hearts by the Spirit of God: There are no prayers in our hearts. The prayers vvhich goe to God come from him. The burden of prayer (as well as that of sin) is too heavy for us to bear. Therefore it is said in the beginning of the verse, The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities. The Greek word signifies to help, as a nurse helpeth the little childe, upholding it by the arm; or, as a weak decrepid old man is upholden by his staff. Or rather, The Spirit helpeth together, for so much the compositi­on of the vvord implies. And then it is a Metaphor taken from one who is to lift a weight too heavie for [Page 20] him, and therefore cals another to lend him his hand. Thus the holy Ghost lends us his hand, or is as a staff in our hand to uphold and strengthen us in this weigh­ty worke, in this heavenly walke of our souls towards God.

Thirdly, Look to the steps. There are seven steps (and you shall have them almost in so many words) by which we draw neer to God.

1. The sense of our own vvants. We never come neer the fulnesse of God till we know our owne em­ptinesse. He that is full l [...]atheth a honey-comb; and he vvho thinks he is full (though none are so empty as he) shall never have his emptinesse filled, He filleth the hungry with good things, and sendeth the rich empty away. The vvhole have no need of a Physician; and though none have so much need, as they vvho say they are vvhole, yet these shall not be healed.

The second step is a sense of our own utter inability to supply our vvants, yea, and of the inability of all the creatures under heaven, and in heaven too, vvith­out God, Psal. 73. 25, 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee; My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. David having thus protested against the expectation of help from a­ny creature in heaven or earth, vvithout or vvithin himself, and laid all his help upon him that is mighty, findes his soul in a fit frame to approach to God, v. 28. It is good for me to draw neer to God.

The third step is a sense of our unworthinesse, that God should supply our vvants, or give us any help. When Jacob vvas so nigh God, that he had him by the [Page 21] shoulders and wrestling with him, held him so fast that he vvould not let goe his hold, till he had a blessing, yet he had quite let goe any hold, yea, or opinion of his own worthinesse to receive a blessing, I am not wor­thy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant (Gen. 32. 10.) or, Iam lesse then the least of all thy mercies. Then we are fit to receive great things from God, when we are little in our own eyes. We cannot come neer the high God, but with low thoughts of our selves, The proud he be­holdeth afar off, and they are afar off.

The fourth step is an acknowledgement of the pow­er and alsufficiency of God to help us. We cannot draw nigh to God, without such actings of faith to­wards God (Heb. 11. 6.) He that commeth to God must believe that God is: What's that? Is it only this, that God hath a being? No, it is this, That God hath his being in himself, That God is God; that is, that God can doe what he pleaseth, that God hath an all-suffici­ency in himself for himself, and an all-sufficiency for us. He needs no creature, and he is enough for every creature.

The fifth step is, That the Lord is willing and rea­dy to help us. God cannot bear it, that any should come before him with doubtfull thoughts of him, ei­ther in regard of his power, or of his willingnesse. We honour him most when we expect most from him. He that commeth to God must believe that God is; and what else? That he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him; He hath not said to the seed of Jacob, seek ye me in vain.

The sixth step is to believe not only that there is a [Page 22] willingnesse in God to help his people, but that he is willing to help in that particular case we petition him about. That's the Apostles meaning (Heb. 10. 27.) Let us draw neer to God with a true heart, and full assu­rance of faith. In what assurance? Even in this, That we shall be answered in what we ask. As faith must mingle with every word of command or promise, which God speaks to us, else it will not profit us: So faith must mingle with every word of prayer, which we speak to God, or else it will not profit us. The Apostle James puts a particular instance (Chap. 1. 5, 6.) If any of you lack wisdome, let him ask of God, &c. and it shall be given him; but let him ask in faith, nothing wa­vering.

The seventh step is, Boldnesse or freedome of speech with God. Holy boldnesse is the highest act of faith, and the highest step of the soul. When we are come to this step, we are at Gods side (as I may speak with reverence) and we stand, as it were, at his elbow, The Favourites place; then we speak with God, as God spake with Moses (Exod. 23. 11.) Face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend. This the Apostle invites us to doe, Heb. 4. 16. Let us come boldly to the throne of grace. Boldnesse would not sute well, at any throne, but a throne of grace. And when we are come thi­ther, and come boldly thither, grace can step no high­er; our next step is into glory.

Thus I have briefly opened, who the way is, what the staff, and vvhich be the steps, by vvhich vve draw nigh to God. Give me leave now to shew you vvhat the effects of such drawing nigh to God will be. It can­not be, vve should draw nigh to God by Christ the [Page 23] way; by the holy Ghost, our staff; by such steps as these, the sense of our vvants, of our vveaknes, of our unwor­thinesse, the sight of the power of God, and of his vvil­lingnes to give, vvith faith that he vvill give, and bold­nesse to ask, but great effects vvill be vvrought in us, and appear upon us. I shall give you an account of four.

1. If any draw thus nigh to God, their neernesse to him vvill cause their likenesse to him. A soul can­not stand so nigh a holy God, vvithout receiving stamps and tinctures of holinesse. Till vve have some­what of the image of God upon us, vve cannot come at all to him; and vvhen vve come vve receive more of that image. In every ordinance vve may have a vision of God by faith. Vision here assimulates, as well as in heaven. The Apostle treating of Gospel­ordinances concludes this, 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all, as in a glasse with open face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. It is impossible to look on God, and not be like him. Jacobs sheep conceived ac­cording to the colour of the Rods that lay in the troughs; our conceptions vvill be like our visions. So then, if in these duties you see God, and know vvho God is vvith vvhom you have to doe in them, you vvill be holy as God is holy, pure as he is pure, and just as he is just in all manner of conversation. This is a proof to purpose that you have prayed and fasted. Moses vvas nigh God fourty daies in the Mount: And had he nothing of God upon him vvhen he came down? Yes, his face did shine. And his story tels us, that his vvhole life, as a godly man, and all his admini­strations [Page 24] to the people, as a wise Magistrate, did shine brighter then his face. If you draw nigh to God, as these duties import you doe, raies of heavenly light vvill shine, and shed themselves upon your counsels and resolves: Every act vvill speak prayer and fast­ing. Who can dwell neer a holy God, and be unholy? A just God, and be unjust? A pure God, and be an unclean Adulterer? A mercifull God, and he a hard­hearted oppressour? A faithfull God, and be a false­hearted dissembler. Doe these things look like the en­gravings of heaven? Or doe these persons act as if they had acquaintance vvith God? They that pray neer God, work neer God. Consider vvhat your projectings are, vvhat your devisings, vvhat your actings, and by that you may finde vvhat your prayings have been, vvhat your fastings, vvhat your humblings. Where vve read God in the one, vve may be assured there hath been a dravving nigh to God in the other. Many men doe but converse vvith man in prayer, and there­fore they are so like to man, proud, froward, vain, earth­ly, carnal, self-seeking. O that it might once be testified in our lives that vve are a people vvho have prayed nigh the living God.

Secondly, They vvho dravv nigh to God in these duties, usually finde their hearts svveetly refreshed both in and after these duties. Can a man vvho is cold come nigh the fire, and not be vvarmed? Can he that is in the dark come into the open Sun, and not be en­lightned? God is the spring of comfort; Surely your hearts vvill be comforted, if you get nigh to him. Can we come to a God vvhose name is the God of all comfort? (2 Cor. 1. 3.) God hath ingrost all that [Page 25] commodity into his own hands, it is not in the pow­er of any creature, high or low, to give out com­fort: they can give riches, honours and pleasures, but they cannot give comfort, you must trade to heaven for that commodity, or else your vessel will return empty, though you should trade at all the ports on earth.) I say then, Can we come near this God of all comfort, and yet finde no comfort? to come with, and carry away a dead spirit, a dead look, to be en­compast with fear & dismaidnes, after we have encom­passed his throne with prayers or with praises? That woman (1 Sam. 1. 18.) who was in bitternesse of spirit, and in great anguish of soul under her affliction, fals a praying, and we may see she prayed, and drew nigh to God in prayer, for she went away, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. She found so much re­freshing in God, that she could not be sorrowfull. No sorrow can stand before the God of all consolation. What is heaven, but the presence of God? And what we shall finde in the presence of God there, the Psalm­ist tels us: At thy right hand, there are joyes, and in thy presence there are pleasures for evermore. As we shall have nothing but pleasures and joyes in heaven, be­cause we are in the presence of God: so in a proporti­on as we get neerer and neerer God on earth, we shall have more and more pleasures; yea, though we dwell in a land of sorrows, and though fears encamp round about us: drawing nigh to God will turn our water into wine, our sorrows into joyes, our fears in­to confidences and assurances for ever. He will take off our sackcloth, and gird us vvith gladnesse, or make us glad while drest in sackcloth. He will give us [Page 26] beauty for ashes, or make us beautifull in our ash­es. I grant many a soul hath drawn nigh to God in­deed in prayer, hearing, &c. and yet comfort hath been farre off. But vve must not argue against a gene­rall truth, from a particular temptation. The position will stand, though every experiment comes not up to it. God is a free agent, and vvorks electively: He is not like the Sun, which cannot suspend or diversifie its own operation.

Thirdly, They who draw nigh to God in these du­ties, will draw off from their duties. There is a dou­ble conversion needfull for a Christian; there is a con­version from sin; and there is a conversion from duty; not from the practice of it, but from relying and tru­sting upon it. A man may pray much, and fast much, and in stead of drawing nigh to God, draw nigh to prayer: his thoughts may be more upon his prayer, then upon God to whom he praies: And he may live more upon his cushion then upon Christ. But when a man indeed draws nigh to God in prayer, he forgets prayer, and remembers God. He loves to pray, but is not in love vvith his prayers, He goes forth in the strength of God, and makes mention of his righteousnesse only. He will not with the Pharisee make mention of his duties also, or bring God a reckoning of his prayers, and of his fastings, I fast twice in the week, &c. He will not tell the Lord, I fast once a moneth, I keep extraordi­nary fasts too; he forgets all this: Fasts goe for no­thing, & praiers go for nothing, and tears go for nothing: Christ is all: he counts upon nothing but God himself.

Fourthly, They who draw nigh to God in these du­ties, draw off from their selves. And they who are [Page 27] neerest God are furthest from self. Self-love is the first [...]nd most potent lust: Self-deniall is the first and most [...]otent grace. It is an argument that men know little of God, and taste lesse of him, when they know and taste themselvs so much in all they do. When we are asking God we should be denying our selves. For he grants [...]othing to us (in mercy) till we deny our selves. When man first departed from God, he went into himself: [...]nd as often as he comes to God, he goes out of him­self. No man can be a self-seeker, and a God-seeker too. Hence it is that the Apostle spends the former part of the Chapter upon this argument, even to draw the scattered Jews (to whom he wrote) off from them­selves; closing with the duty of this Text, as the on­ly expedient to effect it: Draw nigh to God. As if he had said, one touch upon God will cure you of your selves. For the clearing of vvhich I shall a little open the context, vvhich vvith an eye to this place, I forbare to speak of at the beginning.

The Apostle puts a Question at the first verse, From whence come warrs and fightings among you? He asks the Question, not that he was unresolved, but that they might be ashamed. But what vvars means he? Were those twelve Tribes scattered abroad by persecution (as we read in the dedication of the Epistle) rallying themselves into regiments, and gathering into armies to fight one with another, rather then into Churches to worship God together? No, the vvarre he means was metaphoricall. The Roman Eagles kept these Doves low enough, yet their gall (Sunnatural!) appears in con­tentions with, divisions from, envyings and heart-burn­ings against one another: brother is up against bro­ther, [Page 28] and Church against Church, vvhile all vvere over-busie, seeking themselves. For, are these things from the Gospel, or from faith in it? Are they from prayer, or from drawing nigh to God in it? Doth the seed of prayers, and tears, of faith and the Gospel bring forth such an harvest as this? Are they procreative of vvars and fightings? No surely: The next vvords shew the root vvhence these spring, Come they not hence, even of your lusts that warre in your members? The Greek [...]. is, Come they not of the pleasures which are in your members? is not that their pedegree? Lusts are called pleasures by a Metonymie of the adjunct, or of the ef­fect, because a kinde of pleasure goes with them, or flows from them. From these pleasures (saith he) your vvarrs and fightings come; your pleasures bring forth unpleasant fruit; because these lusts please your selves: you care not vvhom you displease, so you may satisfie them. He presses and upbraids them further, vers. 2. Ye lust and have not, ye kill and desire to haves and cannot obtain▪ These killings vvere sutable to the wars and fightings of the first verse, yet (the Greek vvords to kill and to envy, being very neer in sound) Some to [...]. Occi­ditis. [...], invi­decis. mollifie the sense conceive it should be read, Ye envy and desire to have: not, ye kill and desire to have. But vve may vvell keep to the letter of our translation. For the Apo­stle speaks as high language of those unbloody wars (Gal. 5. 15.) If ye bite and devour one another. Such conten­tions are called there, man-eating, therefore they may be called here, man-slaying. But vvhat got they by these victories? What vvere the trophies of this vvar? The text saith, Ye kill and desire to have, and cannot ob­tain. Ye oppresse and vex others, but ye cannot help [Page 29] your selves, and obtain your own desires; or (as the ori­ginall [...]. Est ob [...]nere quod volum [...]s. emphasis bears) get your wills. The Apostle beats it upon them again, Ye fight and warre, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. These men vvere dealing so much for themselves, that is, for their lusts, that they little regarded God: they vvere thin in prayer vvhile their corruptions vvere thus thick, Ye have not, because ye ask not; Not ask? sure vve doe, What, do not vve pray? he answers (vers. 3.) home to the point. I'll grant ye pray, Ye ask, but ye receive not, because ye aske amisse, and so your prayers are ciphers, they stand for nothing, how many soever you may number them. Sinfull prayers are no prayers. I tell you, your asking is no asking. Why? We hope vve pray for things lawfull, vve pray to God, not to an Idoll, and vve pray in the Name of Christ? Let it be that ye doe so, though ye ask not amisse in your praiers in regard of matter, object or medium, yet ye ask amisse. Where's the fault? Here it lies, ye are not right in your ends and aims. Ye seek your selves in your praiers, Ye ask that ye may consume it upon your lusts; you would have the blessings of God to bestow them upon your pleasures, not to do his pleasure. Your lusts pray rather then your graces: ye are suckling your lusts, while ye are praying; ye make provision for the flesh, while ye are in spirituall duties. Look to this (I be­seech you) for I am afraid most praiers miscarry upon this point. How many ask that they may consume, what they would receive, upon their lusts, upon pride and ambition, upon vain-glory, and the love of pre­eminence? How many would thus lavish out the mer­cies of God? It is possible for a man to pray, not on­ly [Page 30] for the things of this world, to bestow them upon his lusts, but he may pray even for the things of hea­ven, to bestow them upon his lusts: He may pray for the ordinances of God, and bestow them upon his lusts: He may pray for pure ordinances, and bestow them upon filthy lusts: yea, I thinke 'tis possible for a man to pray for grace, and bestow that upon his lusts; not that grace it self can be turned into lust, but there is a depth of sinfulnesse in the heart of man, which would put the best things to the worst uses. Howe­ver the Apostle is clear, that good things may be put to very bad uses, while he saith, Ye ask, that ye may consume it on your lusts. He gives them a title fully sig­nificant of this in the 4^th verse, Ye adulterers and adul­teresses; he means not carnall adulterers and adulte­resses, but spirituall. As if he had said, while your hearts cleave to your worldly interests, you commit adultery with the world, and goe a whoring from Christ. For as an adulterer, and an adulteresse are made one flesh: So a spirit prostituted to worldly con­cernments, is made one with the world. Such would make heaven bow to earth, and God serve the designs of Satan. So he must, if he grant their askings, who would consume what they aske upon their lusts.

Take heed of this (saith the Apostle) consider what ye doe, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? yes, we know this very wel; but we do not be­lieve our own hearts can deceive us thus grosly, that we who pray so often, so earnestly, so zealously for good things, should yet be thought to pray all the while, on­ly to get in fewel and provision for our lusts; or, to [Page 31] keep Fasts that we might have somewhat to feast and fatten our corruptions. Some possibly might say, as Hazael to Elisha (when that Prophet fore told what bloody work he would make, when he had the pow­er) What, are we dogs that we should doe such a thing? What, we pray for our lusts? God forbid. The A­postles next words seem to imply such thoughts (v. 5.) Doe ye thinke that the Scripture saith in vain, the Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? As if he had said, you thinke I charge you too deeply, and may perhaps call what I have said an aspersion, at least a needlesse jea­lousie. But alas, can any man tell vvhat he vvould doe vvith mercies, vvith riches, vvith power, if he had these? Friends, you know not your own hearts, nor of vvhat spirit ye are. But doe ye thinke God doth not know your hearts? Or that he hath not the true measure of your spirits? Doth the Scripture speak in vain (that is, vvithout cause) that the Spirit that dwel­leth in us lusteth to envy. Where doth the Scripture speak this? the Scripture speaks it no where, syllabically in so many vvords, Sound and clear collections and con­sequences from Scripture, are the voice of Scripture; Some thinke the Apostle alludes to that complaint, Gen. 6. 5. God saw that the wickednesse of man was great upon the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Others referre it to the answer of Moses, vvhen his servant Jashua brought him a complaint against Eldad and Medad for prophesying in the Camp, desiring his Lord Moses to forbid them, Enviest thou for my sake? Numb. 11. 29. Whether this or that vvas the speciall text, is doubtfull; of this vve are sure, the Scripture yeelds us this position, The spi­rit [Page 32] that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy. What spirit is this? And how doth it lust? Some take it for the corrupt spirit of man: and so the sense is. Hath not the Scripture cause to say, that the sinfull spirit of man lusts to envie, or is envious at the power and great­nesse of others? and is desirous to grasp all to it self; Hath the Scripture spoken this without cause? Doe you not finde such a spirit acting and striving in you? Doth not the experience you have of your own hearts (unlesse you be strangers at home) justifie this charge? The spirit that dwels in you lusteth to envy. Others take the spirit for the Spirit of God. Doe ye thinke that the Scripture saith in vain? that the Spirit of God (dwel­ling in the Saints, or that spirituall principle given in regeneration) lusteth to envy? And then the sense is this. Ye are such as professe ye have received the Spi­rit of God: ye are a people scattered by persecution for the profession of the Gospel, and bearing the fruits of the Spirit. Doe ye thinke the Scripture saith in vain, the spirit that dwelleth in you lusteth to envie? That is, that (the best, having yet the seed, and re­mains of every sinne in them, and so of envie) the spi­rituall part in you, or the spirit dwelling in you is put to continuall work and warre by strivings and lustings to keep in the motions of your hearts from these sins? For as there is a sinfull lusting of the flesh against the Spirit: So there is a gracious lusting of the Spirit against the flesh (Gal. 5. 17.) one worke where­of (there named by the Apostle) is envying (vers. 21.) with all it's attendants. According to this interpreta­tion, [...], to envy, hath the sense of [...], Against envy, which is an allowed signification of the [Page 33] Greek preposition. And so to lust notes that hostile [...], pug [...]are contra aliquem opposition, vvhich the holy Ghost raises in the Saints against envie, implying, that even they are subject to envie as vvell as others.

M. Calvin renders the text interrogatively, Doth the spirit that dwelleth in us lust to envy? Ye speak of the Spirit of God, and ye say ye have the Spirit, is this a work that looks like the vvorking of the Spirit? What is the Spirit of God that dwels in you, or which you pretend dwels in you, a spirit of envie? Nothing lesse, the Spirit of God breaths other thoughts, and teach­eth other lessons. That Spirit which is truly libe­rall, cannot be envious. He that giveth freely to all, would not have us envie those to whom he gives more freely, then to our selves. Or, he that giveth us more, doth not envie us for what we have, v. 7. But he giveth more grace. If any receive not more from him, it is because they are unfit to receive, not because he is unwilling to give. God (indeed) resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble; A proud man would have all to himself, he thinks the vvhole vvorld must serve his ends, and therefore God opposeth him in his vvay, Submit your selves therefore to God; be sure you pray under God, and not above him. Ma­ny a man when his bodie lies low before God, hath his spirit above God. He that seeks himself in prayer to God, sets himself above God to vvhom he praies: A thought of vvhich was the devils first entertain­ment. His first suggestion was, Ye shall be as gods. No­thing makes us so unlike creatures, especially so unlike new creatures, as a desire of such likenesse unto God. And vvhile we would be nigh him in making our own [Page 34] way, or in being our own end, vve depart furthest from him. Be carefull then to resist this devil of self­seeking, and resist him most, when ye are seeking un­to God. Resist this devil by fleeing from your selves, and he will flee from you. Having thus put the devil to flight, you may draw nigh to God, with this confi­dence, that he will draw nigh to you.

That's the second point proposed, the promise of mercy, or the fruit of our drawing nigh to God, Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. I will not handle this later part doctrinally, but onely as an ar­gument to provoke your spirits to draw nigh to God, upon his gracious condiscention to draw nigh to you. There is much oratory in this promise: vvho can ex­presse how drawing and attractive it is to hear, that God will draw nigh unto us?

God will draw nigh: What's that? We may inter­pret it by what he spake before, Ye ask and receive not: If God draw nigh, you shall ask and receive, you shall have your petition. So it is expounded, Deut. 4. 7. What Nation is there so great, that hath God so nigh to them, as the Lord our God is, in all things we call upon him for? That is, he readily gives us all things we call upon him for. On the contrary, The not hearing of prayer is the departure of God. So the complaint of Saul teaches us (1 Sam. 28. 15.) God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by Prophets, nor by dreams. When God puts out and acts mercie or power for us, he draws nigh unto us, Ps. 75. 1. For that thy Name is neer thy wondrous works declare: Gods works speak where he is: when we see some wickednesse acted, we may say, It is a sign who hath been here; we may see such [Page 35] have been here by the spoil they have made; we may read the Agents names upon their actions. So when we see great, noble and glorious works (though all men should be silent, yet) such vvorks have a voice to pro­claim their Authour, The finger of God is here. I might shew you how every topick yeelds us a perswasive ar­gument to desire this presence of God with us.

First, (A necessario) from the necessity of it. We have no need of many creatures, they are but conveniencies to us. We have no absolute need of any creature: God can be now, as he will be hereafter, All in all unto us. God is enough to us without any creature; but no creature can be any thing to us without God. God, and all that he hath made, is not more then God without any thing which he hath made.

Secondly, (Ab utili) All our profit comes in vvith God. He that hath the fountain, hath the stream. He that hath the Sun cannot want light. He that ows the silver and golden mines, cannot want treasure. God is fountain, sunne and mine of all good things. Each creature (in it's best estate) is but a particular good: All creatures are not an universall good, The One-most God, is all good.

Thirdly, (Ab honesto) nothing so honourable to man, as his relation to God. It is an honour to a mean man when a great Prince (vvho is but a man in a greater let­ter) will be pleased to visit and draw nigh to him. Is it a small matter that the Prince of the Kings of the earth visits us, and will dwell with us in our smoaky cottages?

Fourthly, (A jucundo) It is joy and delight unspeak­able to have God neer us. The joy of heaven (as was toucht before) is this, the presence of God: look how [Page 36] much you have of the drawings nigh of God upon earth, so much you have of heaven upon earth. The grace of glorie is this, We shall ever be with the Lord; The glorie of grace is this, that God will ever be with us: that's the promise, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee; I vvill stick as close to thee as thy cloathes to thy back, or, as thy skin to thy flesh.

Take the weight and blessing of this priviledge, a little more distinctly and enlargedly.

1. Consider who draws nigh to you, when God draws nigh to you. His descriptions (to help faith) are made to our senses. He is a sun, and a shield, a strong tower, and a deliverer. Then comfort and protection draw nigh us, when God draws nigh us. He is the God of battell for our Armies in the field; and he is the God of wisdome for our counsels at home. Whatsoever the creature is or wants, God is, and hath eminently. All the world will be nothing to us, or against us, if we have, and know we have God nigh us: For as when God looks into himself, he speaks of the vvhole vvorld (though the work of his own hands) as vanity, or as nothing. All Nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity, Isa. 40. 17. What, was the Lord six daies about nothing? or did he make a peece of vanity? Emptinesse and vanitie vvas the state of the Chaos before God fashioned and moulded it up into this beautifull fabrick wherein we breathe. How unlike is this account to that first account, which God made of the world, who casting up the severall par­cels, makes this totall sum, Gen. 1. 3 [...]. And God saw eve­ry thing which he had made; and behold, it was very good? True, so it was as it came out of his hands; and so it is [Page 37] still, excepting only those cracks and flaws made by the sin of man; but yet when the Lord looks upon his own infinite perfections, then he saith of all his works, They are nothing, and lesse then nothing, vanity; The greatest works of God are nothing to the great God. Now as God himself, in the contemplation of, and reflection upon his own greatnesse, nothings the whole world; So vvhen our souls are raised up to contemplate who God is, and can get into the treasures of that glorie and excellencie vvhich are in God, the vvorld is nothing in our eyes; and though vve have to do in tansacting the greatest affairs, and be advanced to the greatest digni­ties of the vvorld, yet after our thoughts have been a vvhile vvith God, vve thinke vve have been but pedling all the while about vanities and nothings. When the great God is neer us, the greatest things are little to us. When those unbelieving Israelites, vvho were sent to espy and search the land of Canaan, saw the sons of Anak those mighty Giants, they looked on themselves but as Grashoppers in their sight. What Grashoppers vvill the highest of believing mankinde thinke them­selves, when the mighty God stands by them? And the true reason why the vvorld is great in our eyes, is, because God is so little: vve usually frame up mean notions of God, we make God a poor God; and vve frame high notions of the vvorld, vve make the vvorld a rich vvorld. Labour to know vvho God is, and the vvorld vvill be to you as it is, and be esteem'd by you (as it deserves) a vanity, a nothing.

Secondly, When God draws nigh to you, all good draws nigh to you: Good cannot stay behinde, if God come; his presence is the grant of all your holy petiti­ons: [Page 38] You have as much in God, as your thoughts can grasp, and there is infinitely more in him, then your thoughts can grasp. Further, unlesse God draw nigh to you, what ever good draws nigh to, or clings about you, will prove an evil to you. Though all creatures hang about you, and offer you their service, they can doe you no good, except God be with you in the en­joyment of them. The cleaving and clinging of crea­tures to you, vvill be but as the clinging and cleaving of the Ivie to the Oak to draw out your sap and strength: it can be no otherwise, though they hug and imbrace you heartily. Armies cannot help you without God; your own armies cannot, no, nor the armies of your Brethren and Confederates: Not only shall not Ar­mies of Egyptian help you vvithout God, but Armies of Israelites shall not: Yea, though they be armies of the best strain of Israelites, every one a Nathanael, an Is­raelite indeed, in whom there is no guile. Your owne Counsels cannot help vvithout God, no, nor your fasts and praiers. The Covenant cannot help you with­out God; no, nor the very Gospel. What is it to have the Gospel preached, and God not in the Gospel? Can vvords alone convert you? Can vvords comfort you? The meer letter of the Gospel kils, as vvell as of the Law. The Spirit quickens in both. If then God draw not nigh to you, go, weep over all creature-helps, vveep over your Armies, over your confederacies, over your counsels: yea, vveep over your fasts, your prayers, your Covenant, your Gospel; if God should not draw nigh, miserable comforts, helplesse helpers are they all.

Thirdly, If God do not draw nigh to you, all man­ner [Page 39] of evils will, you vvill be encompast vvith snares and fears round about. It is said of Saul (1 Sam. 16.) that vvhen the Spirit of God departed from him, an e­vil spirit from the Lord troubled him. When the good God, and his good Spirit depart from us, evil spirits will rush in, and throng upon us; the spirit of envie and of malice, the spirit of division and distraction, the spirit of jealousie and suspition, the spirit of profanenesse and contempt of holy things. Such spirits vvill put all out of order, and trouble all. It vvas most sad to Saul when God left him; vve read him going to consult vvith a vvitch, vvhen God vvas gone (1 Sam. 28.) (Man must have somewhat beyond himself; man cannot rest upon his own center; vvhen God is departed, he vvill to the devil, because he thinks the devil above himself in wis­dome and in power) therefore Saul vvill hear vvhat a vvitch, an oracle of hell can say; and how vvofull a complaint doth he make? The Philistines make warre a­gainst me; vvhy? so they had done many times before: Saul, I hope, vvas not a man unused to the vvars, he vvas a valiant and brave souldier as any in the vvorld, The bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty from the bloud of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, 2 Sam. 1. 22. and vvhat? now afraid of a Philistine! hear vvhat dreadfull vvords follow, vvords vvhich shew he had reason to fear, not only an armed Philistine, but an unarmed childe, or a man of straw, The Philistines make warre against me, and God is depart­ed from me. Some might say, vvhat if God be departed from thee, canst thou not get thy people to thee? go, muster thy armies, double thy numbers, fortifie thy ci­ties, vvill not all this make up the absence of a God? It [Page 40] may be thou maist finde somewhat to supply his room: ô no, Saul could not do it, for he had done all that, as the text saith at the 4th ver. of the Chapter, The Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in S [...] ­nem; and Saul also gathered all Israel together, and pitched in Gilboa; He had an Army, but he had not a God; and therefore he dares not engage vvith the Philistines. No­thing can supply the steed of God. When you open your chests, and see treasure there; yet, if God be not there, how poor are ye? When you muster your ar­mies, and see number and valour there; yet if God be not there, how weak are ye? When ye look upon your counsels, and see vvisdom and vvell-grounded policies there; yet if God be not there, how successelesse must all be?

Fourthly, Though you have done great things, yet if God withdraw, you shall do no more. Man cannot act the same things without the same assistance. We must have our daily strength, as well as our daily bread from God. And the reason vvhy man cannot alvvaies parallel his ovvn actions, is, because God doth not al­vvaies parallel his ovvn assistances. After Joshua and the people of Israel had conquered Jericho, they fled and fell before the men of Ai, a small City, a petty Garison: The reason vvas, God vvas not vvith them, as the text clearly implies, Josh. 7. 12. Samson had done vvonders, he had destroyed the Philistines, heaps upon heaps, he had carried avvay the gates of a Citie upon his shoulders, yet at last vvhen his locks vvere cut, and his Dalilah said, The Philistins are upon thee, Samson, he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake my self; but he wist not that the Lord was departed from him; [Page 41] then strong Samson was weak, bound presently by the Philistines and thrust to grinde in a mill. I assure you, Honourable Senatours, though your Armies like mighty Samsons have done great things, and have carried the gates of strong Cities, yet in their next services, they will be but like other men, weak and uselesse, if the Lord should depart from them.

Fifthly, If the Lord draw nigh to you, He will make all creatures draw nigh to you, and stick to you, or sub­mit to you; Creatures shall be glad of their company who enjoy communion with God. We may apply to our selves that priviledge specializ'd to the Jews, Zech. 8. 23. It shal come to passe that ten men shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, we will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. O let us come in, let us be your associates: what was the matter? where lay the argument? It was not in this, you have gold, and silver, and power; no, but you have God: Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. Thus shall that nation be courted by the nations round about, with whom the Lord is. If the Lord be with us, we also shall have ten men of the nations about us take hold of the skirt of an English-man and of a Scotch-man with whom we are so neerly joyned, and say, Let us dwell with you, for we have heard that God is with you. However we may rest in this assurance, that if God draw neer to us, men shall, or we shall not need them neer us: If God draw nigh to us, either none shall, or we need not fear who shall withdraw from us. The Apostle found it so▪ (2. Tim. 4. 16.) At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me; notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthned me; though the world withdraw, though [Page 42] neerest friends, though godly friends and brethren (such were the Romanes to Paul) withdraw, yet if God stand with us, we shall be able to withstand all gain­sayers, and when we have done all, to stand: if God be with us, who can be against us? Though many should at­tempt to be, yet none can, their very withdrawings and oppositions shall advantge us.

To close all, take I beseech you two generall dedu­ctions from all that I have spoken. You see persons converted from a state of sin are nigh to God, and con­verted persons daily turning from the acts of sin are nigher to God, such know how to draw nigh to God in every duty: And God honours them with this stile, his Nighones, his Neighbours; that's their priviledge (Psal. 148. 14. (He also exalteth the horne of his people, the praise of all his Saints, even of the children of Israel, a peo­ple neer unto him. And David of himself (Psal. 139.) When I awake I am still with thee: he was at Gods elbow before out of his bed: when sleep had over-powred him, he was not master of his own understanding and reason, and therefore could not make it out: But (saith he) when I awake, when my senses are unlockt, and my reason at liberty to serve my graces, then I am still with thee. As soon as I awake, my first flight is to God; before I am up or ready, I make a step to Heaven, and there I stay all the day long; when I am once there I cannot out again quickly, I am still with thee. Now, if such be nigh to God, and still with him, let them also be nigh to you; let not Gods neer neighbours be wronged, if you can helpe it: 'tis dangerous to wrong a man that is nigh the great men of the earth, Kings and Princes, he can soon go into the Kings bed-chamber, [Page 43] and tell him of the wrong: It is dangerous to injure Gods nigh ones, they have an advantage of the world, they have but a step to Heaven: All the Saints on earth live within the verge of the Court of Heaven, they are nigh to God, and God is nigh to them. If the world spit in the face of a Saint, he can but turne about and have a kisse from Jesus Christ. It is best to be a friend and a good neighbour to those, of whom God saith, These are my friends and neighbours.

Secondly, See upon what termes this union is made, how God and man embrace. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Man in drawing nigh to God, must draw off from himself and from his sin; but God in drawing nigh to man, doth not draw off from him­self or from his holinesse. When cause and cause, par­ty and party are at difference, there needs a drawing nigh on both sides; if both have erred in parting, both ought to part with and bewail their errours, that there may be uniting: but on which side soever truth and justice stands, that side must stand. The union must be made by the repentance of the one, and by the acceptance of the other: In such a case the Prophet is charged (Ier. 16. 19.) Let them returne unto thee, but re­turn not thou to them: Let them returne to thee from their filthinesse and iniquity, but returne not thou un­to them, by receding from, or giving up the rule of ho­linesse and purity. Prophet stand thy ground, for thou standest upon Gods ground, while thou art taking forth the precious from the vile; That's the duty laid upon him in the former words, and to that he must stand.

Our present divisions are great: parties are, I know not how far from one another, 'tis high time (so it is [Page 44] meet for us to judge) to joint in and draw neer toge­ther: Only remember to do it, as God and man do it; where right and justice are, part not with them, though that rich and desirable commodity, Peace, be offered as the price of them. Your affairs being thus stated, let them returne to you, returne not to them; To draw nigh upon other terms, is to lay the founda­tion of an everlasting disunion; if you put a new peece to an old garment, the rent vvill be made vvorse; the new vvine vvill quickly break the old bottles, and all vvill he lost. Very lasting agreements have been made between vvickednesse and vvickednesse, between er­rour and errour: but I never read of a lasting agree­ment between vvickednesse and justice, truth and er­rour, such Heterogeneals vvill not incorporate: God draws nigh to none, but those vvhom he findes holy, or makes them so.

O that vve vvere taught of God this holy skill and heavenly art, to draw nigh among our selves as he drawes nigh to us. Heaven touches earth, not dirty, but refined earth: God takes man by the hand, but his hand, yea his heart must be vvashed, that's the Law of this blessed interview, as we learn from the later part of the verse, Wash your hands, ye sinners, and purifie your hearts, ye double-minded.