and comfort, hope and joy upon folid grounds, it was then : if ever I was raised above the world, and willing to leave it; disingaged from the inordinate love of life, and fear of dying: If ever I could read my title to heaven clearly, and ever had any thing of the foretastes of it, it was when with the greatest watchfulness I kept close to God. And by withdrawing from him in any instance of duty, how hath my peace been broken, my spirit wounded, my hopes dashed, and my fears revived, under which I have been ready to fink? O the difference between being continually with God, and growing strange to him. I am ashamed to think that my feet should be so near gone. How much of the brute did I discover, when ready to fay, I have cleanfed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innoceney to no purpose? But how fadly foever I stumbled, blessed be God, I was not left totally to fall. Nevertheless I am still with

thee.

6. Believers are enabled seasonably to remember, that the trials of the present state that seem to discourage their steadiness in religion, will foon be over, and are not worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed. Befides the fupports and comforts of communion in hand, there is heaven in hope; in the prospect of which they that have given up themselves to God, have the highest reason to abide with him.

7. The fincerity of the faints love to God, and choice of him, is to be evidenced by their continuing with him. It is in vain for any to pretend

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pretend themselves to have been of the number of his people, if upon meeting with difficulties they go over to the fide of his enemies. The heart was never upright in yielding to him, that retracts its dedication, and turns quite away.

8. The people of God are concerned to abide with him, as they would not lose their work and crown, and expose themselves to greater wrath. To prevent this the caution is given, 2 John 8. Look to yourselves that we loje not those things, which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. The just shall live by faith : but if any man draw back, God declares, my foul Shall have no pleasure in him. And how fearful a thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God? The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: in a dread of which, the Ifraelite indeed will with purpose of heart cleave unto the Lord; and however staggered, come to this at length, Nevertheless I am still with thee.

These are some of the grounds on which the people of God are, and ought to be with him, as a duty.

II. This may be confidered as their privilege : concerning which let me briefly shew,

1. Under what endearing characters the people of God are with him.

2. That it is a privilege belonging to every

one of the number, and that at all times. 3. Their happiness herein.

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4. To what it is owing, viz. to God's keeping his hold of them.

1. Under what characters the people of God may, in point of privilege, be faid to be with him. These are obvious and endearing. Particularly,

1. They are continually with God, as the members of his Son, ransomed by him at the dearest rate, and vitally united to him, and fo of too great account to be neglected or left. When like sheep we had gone astray, loft God and ourselves, and were wandering in the ways of death, Christ came to feek and save that which was lost. He suffered, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God: and in order to it, had a feed promised him, to whom he was appointed a quickening head; and he becomes actually such, to all that believe. With reference to them he declares, I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that fent me. And this is the Father's will which hath fent me, that of all which he bath given me, I should lose nothing, John vi. 36, 39. The Father commits them to Chrift, as their redeemer and head: who whilst on earth faithfully discharged his truft, and when about to return to heaven, he affectionately committed to his Father again. John xvii. 11. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee : Holy Father, keep through thine own name, those whom thou haft given me. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name; those that thou gavest me I have kept. And they were left by Chrift

to his Father's keeping and care, under the engaging confiderations, as ranfomed by him, and related to him.

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2. Ifraelites indeed are with God, as his children, renewed by his grace, and allied to his Son; through whom he makes good his promise of being a Father to them, and receiving and owning them as his fons and daughters. They are created in Christ Jesus after his image: and by faith receiving him, and returning unto. God by him, to them gives be power to become the fons of God, even to them that believe in his name. And the relation shall never be broken off.

3. They are difposed to it, as being renewed by the Spirit to God's image and likeness, and in Chrift become the objects of his special love. Their natural averfion is cured, and from a new principle implanted, they are formed for con verse with God, and breathe after it, as what they cannot live without.

As to such as these, their being continually with God, implies,

1. Having their minds engaged or taken up in ferious thoughts of God, as their daily concern and work. The wicked are faid to be far from God, as God is not in all their thoughts, Pfalm x. 4. In opposition to fuch, the faints make confcience of filling their minds with him, and employing their daily, most free and delightful thoughts upon him: and though a great part of their time be spent herein, they find no reafon to be weary, but by fresh application to the boundless object, promise themselves fresh de

light. Pfalm civ. 34. My meditation of him Shall be fweet: I will be glad in the Lord, i. e. when I can get near to him. And by whatever diverted, or interrupted for a time, to these meditations the holy foul returns, as to its element. Pfalm cxxxix. 18. When I awake, I am still with thee.

2. Being with God must be understood with reference to the discoveries he hath made of himself in his word, and the relations in which he stands to us, under which he would be conceived of by us: and so his people are, and ought to be with him.

(1.) As their owner, acknowledging his propriety in them, and dominion over them: and so they are with him, as his own, made by his power, and created anew by his Spirit and grace. And under a sense of both, they refer themselves to his disposal, and lay themselves at his feet, saying, Let him do to me as feemeth good to him, 2 Sam. xv. 26. Though flesh and sense murmur and complain, quarrel and difpute, Nevertheless, I will say, I am still with thee.

(2.) As their king and lawgiver; and so they are with him as his fubjects, regarding his will, as the rule appointing them their work, wherein they are to study to please and serve him, and so abide with him. He that made me, hath the fullest right to rule me; and he shall do fo. O Lord, I am thy fervant, I am thy fervant; and whatever would tempt me to withdraw my allegiance, I dare not yield. Other lords have had dominion over me, and plead hard to regain

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