I. To touch a little at the communion his people may have with him, which is here called a talking with him.

II. Offer a few remarks concerning their miffing and finding the Lord.

III. Enquire in what refpects they may mifs him where they enjoyed him.

IV. I would give fome reafons of this difpenfa

tion.

V. Make application of the whole.

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I. As to the firft of thefe, To fpeak a little of this communion that God's people may have with him, which is here called a talking with him; "God went up from him, in the very place where he talked with him."

This communion and converfe with God may import thefe five things.

1. It imports the prefence of God, and his perfections round about them; for, "As the mountains are round about Jerufalem, fo the Lord is round about them that fear him," and fo his perfections do furround and environ them. Indeed, we are to diftinguish between fenfible prefence and real prefence: God is always really prefent with his people; for he has faid, "I will never leave thee, nor forfake thee;" but he is not always fenfibly prefent. He may be prefent at their hand, when they do not fee him, as in the cafe of Mary, when she was talking with Chrift, and yet afked where fhe might find him. We are to distinguish alfo between his quickening prefence and his comforting prefence: the Lord may be prefent with his people quickening them to duty, and yet they may want fenfible comfort in duty. To this purpose fays the fpoufe," I fought him, but I found him not. I fought him;" there is his quickening prefence exciting her to duty: "But I found him not," I wanted his fenfible comforting prefence.

It imports vicinity and nearnefs; the Lord is graciously near to them; he is gracioufly near to all that call upon him in truth, a prefent help, especially in the time of trouble, as here he was to Jacob in his trouble.—— Again,

3. This

3. This converfe they have with the Lord, not only imports vicinity and nearness, but amity and friendship, as fays the prophet Amos, iii. 3. "Can two walk toge ther except they be agreed?" So I may fay, Can two talk together unlefs they be agreed? There is no fweet converfe with God, 'but what imports agreement. It takes in, then, their friendship with him; their being reconciled to him in the blood of Jefus.

4. It imports communion with him, fuch as that, "Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and his Son Jefus Chrift." They have fellowship with God in Chrift: fellow fhip with him in his life, "Becaufe I live, ye fhall live alfo:" fellowship with him in his love, while he sheds abroad his love in their hearts. Again,

5. It imports communication; and this communicati-" on, or God's talking with his people, it has many things

in it.

(1.) There is therein, fometimes, a mutual intimation of love; the Lord fometimes intimates his love unto the foul, faying, "I have loved thee with an everlafting love:" the foul fometimes intimates its love to him again, "Thou that knoweft all things, knoweft that I love thee."

(2.). It takes in fometimes a mutual commendation of one-another; I fay, mutual commendation; the Lord, when he is talking with them, he fometimes commends them forfooth, "Behold, thou art fair; thou art all fair, my love, there is no fpot in thee:" and indeed they cannot but blush, when he commends them after this manner. Again, they commend him, (as it well becomes. them,) My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chief among ten thousand; his mouth is moft fweet; yea, he is altogether lovely," infinitely lovely. Again,

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(3) This communication has in it, fometimes, mutual counfels imparted, their minds imparted.--The Lord imparts his mind to the foul, "The fecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will fhew them his covenant:" and the foul imparts its mind again to God, and pours out its heart unto him, telling him all his mind, that he cannot tell the world. Again,

(4.) This

(4.) This communication takes in the mutual confidence they exprefs in one-another. It is wonderful that the Lord has a kind confidence and truft he puts in them there are fome believers he will not truft, knowing what is in their hearts; but there are others to whom he commits a truft, he commits his name and truth to them, Rev. ii. 13. knowing that, through his grace, they will be faithful. They put their trust in him: Lord, all my confidence is in thee: I have no hope but in thy felf: and they exprefs their truft in him, as Job does, chapter xiii. 15." Though he flay me, yet will I trust in him." Again,

(5.) This communication, it takes in the mutual care they exprefs to one-another: O the wonderful care that Chrift expreffes of his people! That is obferved by the church, when fhe fays, "His left hand is under my head, and his right-hand doth embrace me," Song ii. 6. O the tender care of the Lord Jefus towards them! And then they fometimes exprefs a care with reference to him and his intereft, and his concerns; their great concern is, to have his honour and glory advanced in the world.

(6.) This communication takes in mutual affurances of love he affures them of his love unto them, and relation unto them: "I am thy God, I will be thy God.” Well, they acknowledge fometimes this relation, and therefore cry out, "My Lord, and my God:" and fometimes, when they are under the influence of the Spirit of God, the Spirit of adoption, they acknowledge their relation, crying out, ABBA, Father.

In a word, this communication fometimes takes in a mutual dedication of themfelves to one-another: the Lord gives himself unto them: he gives himself, he gives his Christ, he gives his Spirit, he gives his bleffing unto them, and they furrender all that they have, and are, unto him: they give up themfelves, their name, their children, their foul and body, and all their concerns unto him; they put all into his hand. This is a part of their communication, their mutual talk with him. So much fhall fuffice for a touch at this first head.

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I go on,

II. To the fecond thing propofed, viz. To offer a remark or two concerning the finding and miffing the prefence of God. O Sirs, what know we, or do we know any thing of that prefence and fellowship with God, that I have been mentioning? That the Lord's people may have fome further view of this matter, there are thofe few remarks I would offer, concerning their meeting with him, and their miffing of him.

The first remark I offer is this, "That these who

are acquainted with his coming and going, they' "are the feed of Jacob, praying Jacob, to whom God' "has faid, they fhall not feek him in vain."-And fometimes they have it to fay, "I fought him, and I found him;" but many times they have it to fay, We fought him, but we miffed him; We fought him, but we found him not." There is a generation that feek the face of Jacob's God.

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But, fecondly, I would here remark, "That fuch an enjoyment of God's prefence, as his people defire, and would be at, is denied them while they are in "the world."-And this he is pleafed to do for many wife and good reafons: partly, to draw out their de fires more after him; partly, to quicken their endeavours, in feeking after him; partly, to prove and humble them, and to do them good in the latter end.

But then, thirdly, another remark I would offer, is, "That the Lord's communicating himself unto his "people, is in a way that is very variable."He many times furprifes them with his vifits.-Sometimes he comes when they are in their worft cafe. He fometimes talks with them when they are napping, as it were; he takes them when they are dead, and like beafts before him.-Sometimes when they are in their worft frames; "For the iniquity of his covetoufnefs was I' wroth, and fmote him; I hid me and was wroth; and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart." Well, faiththe Lord, "I have feen his ways, and will heal him; I will lead him alfo, and restore comforts to him, and to his mourners," Ifa. lvii. 17, 18.-Sometimes he comes to them, when they are just at the giving over; "I said, I am caft out of thy fight," faid Jonah, "yet will I look again

to

towards thy holy temple," Jonah ii. 4.-Sometimes their ordinary attainments do exceed their communion-attainments; and hence they have it many times to fay, O that it were with me at a communion-table, as in fuch a time, and fuch a time. The Lord's way is variable.

But again, in the fourth place, I would here remark, That the Lord's hiding himself, and the foul's "miffing of his prefence, when either they are feeking after him, and are disappointed; or, when they "have found him, and do immediately mifs him, I fay, "it is very heavy unto them." Alas! it is a great burden to them! Ufually, when they thus mifs him, they are compaffed with clouds of darkness. It may be they are in darknefs about duty, not knowing what to do. Perhaps, they are in darknefs about their graces, not knowing whether they are gold or counterfeits. It may happen, they are in the dark about the promises, not knowing whether they belong to them or not. is poffible, they are in darknefs about their experiences, whether they be delufions or not. They are oft-times filled with amazement, when they mifs their Beloved. When their love is away, they think fuch a difpenfation is contrary to his merciful nature; they are apt to think fometimes, that it is contrary to his gracious promife, and that it is contrary to the experiences of his people; and, perhaps, contrary to their own experiences; and contrary to the hopes they have had.— They are, I fay, in great heavinefs, for ordinary, when they mifs him.

It

But again, a fifth remark I offer here, is, "That "when the Lord has been long away from his people, and, at laft, returns to them, readily the meeting is very remarkable."-Their meeting with him then is readily remarkable for its fulnefs: it is like a great fhower after a long drought; or, they get the more full meal, that they have been long fafting; and the longer they have wanted accefs, the accefs is the nearer.-Readily fuch a meeting is remarkable for the fweetness of it. O! how fweet is it when the Lord's. people meet with him, when he hath been long abfent!