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and the power of God; and with him is the mercy and truth of God; "My mercy and my faithfulness, with him yet still shall be."-The Father's gifts and graces were with him: "He received gifts for men, even for the rebellious, that God the Lord might dwell among them," Psal. lxviii. 18. The Father's secrets were with him; and his mind, will, and council: "No man hath seen God at any time: the only-begotten Son, that is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."-His Father's hosts and armaments were with him; for, he that is the Lord of hosts gave his angels charge concerning him; and it is said, He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his own arm brought salvation to him, and his righteousness, it sustained him. And he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head," Isa. lix. 16, 17.-Likewise his Father's ornaments were with him: and hence he says, Isa. lxi. 10. "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord: my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, and covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."-What shall I say? his Father's glory was with him: this was his great name, "The brightness of the Father's glory:" and this was his great end in coming, doing, and dying, to glorify him on earth, who said of him, and to him, "Thou artmy Servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified," Isa. xlix. 3.-The Father's majesty was with him; for it was said, Micah v. 4. " He shall stand and feed [or rule] in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God."--The Father's rest was with him here he found rest and satisfaction to his awakened sword of justice; even in him, "Who gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice, of a sweet-smelling savour unto God:" and hereupon he hath said, "This is my rest, here will I stay." The Father's blessing was with him; therefore it is said. "Thou art fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured into thy lips; therefore God hath blessed him for ever, Psalm

xlv. 2. He hath blessed him, and he shall be blessed, and "Men shall be blessed in him." Why then, he is not alone, for the Father and all his furniture and fulness, is with him.

4thly, The next view of this expression is to consider it subjectively, with reference to Christ, the subject or person with whom the Father is; With me, says Christ: "I am not alone, because the Father is with me." The Father was with him in his sonship, as he was his natural Son. He and Christ could never part; and as he was his federal Son, as the new-covenant Head, Psalm lxxxix. 26. it is said, "Thou art my Father, he shall cry; thou art my God alone." The Father was with him in his manhood; he that prepared for him a body, a human nature, still sustained that nature; and it subsists only in the Person of the Son of God; and, "Great is the mystery of godliness, God made manifest in the flesh," 1 Tim. iii. 16. The Father was with him, both in his voluntary undertaking the work of our redemption, and in the execution of the whole work: and hence the Father's will and his will were both recorded together among the archives of heaven; "In the volume of thy book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God," Psal. xl. 6, 7. The Father was with him in his prophetical office; for, as he gave him to be a light to the Gentiles; so he gave him the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to rest upon him so that he taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes: "Never man spake like this man :" for he had the tongue of the learned given him of the Father. The Father was with him in his priesthood, Psal. cx. 4. "The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for ever." And in this service, wherein he fulfilled the law; and in this suffering, wherein he satisfied justice, the Father boasts of his assisting presence which he gave him; "Behold my Servant whom I uphold:" and then he raised him up on the third day, and set him on his right hand, to make continual intercession for us. The Father also was with him in his kingly office, saying, " I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion; with my holy oil have Ï

anointed him." And how does he assist him in the work peculiar to this office? By giving him all power in heaven and in earth, whereby he was able to conquer subjects to his obedience, and trample his enemies under his feet. So much for the first head, concerning . the Father's presence with Christ, included in these words, "I am not alone, because the Father is with me."

II. The second thing proposed, was, To speak of God's presence with his people, as it redounds from Christ the Head to them as members; and how they are not alone, but have the Father with them. And here, without launching forth into this great subject of the divine presence, I shall confine myself to the views of it already mentioned, with relation to the glorious Head; in and through whom they share, according to their measure, of the Father's presence in all their duties and difficulties, so as it may be said, They are not alone, for the Father is with them. In so far as this takes place, so far shall we have communion with God in Christ to-day. Though the presence of God, with Christ the Head, as to the manner and measure of it, is ineffably-superior to any presence of his with mere creatures, either in heaven or earth; yet, by virtue of the near union betwixt the Head and the members, even these on earth, they are made partakers of this privilege, in the manner whereof they are capable, through grace, and in the measure wherein he sees fit to com-municate himself. And,

1. It may be said negatively, They are not alone, though all the world should turn their back upon them, and leave them alone; Christ says, in his Father's name, John xiv. 18. 23. "I will not leave you comfortless. If a man love me, my Father will love him; and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." And therefore, they are not alone in point of company, number, friendship, fellowship, or any other respects, before-mentioned. Nor are they left to work alone; for, it is God that worketh all their works in and for them; and worketh in them both to will and to do, of his good pleasure. He does not leave them to stand alone

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in the battle; even when they may say, with Paul, "No man stood with me; Nevertheless the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me."-He leaves them not alone to suffer reproach and ignominy; for, he is at hand to mark it down: Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame and my dishonour; mine adversaries are all before thee," Psal. Ixix. 19.-He leaves them not to be alone in suffering persecution, by tongue or hand for his sake; nay, he says of that cross, not only halfmine, but wholly so; Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?"--He leaves them not to be alone in suffering violence, even when it is covered with deceit and falsehood: he tears the covering to pieces, and redeems their soul from deceit and violence.-He leaves them not to lie alone in the dark and cold nights of trials and tribulation: they always have his real presence, and they always affect his sensible presence, with the church, Song i. 13. "A bundle of myrrh is my well beloved unto me; he shall lie all night between my breasts." Yea, he leaves them not to die alone; he says, "Fear not to go down to Egypt," I will go with you; nor down to the grave, I have gone before you, and will go with you. In the faith whereof they may say, when passing through the valley of the shadow of death, "I will fear no evil, for thou art with me." Thus they are not

alone.

2. It may be said positively, the Father is with them. And here there is some resemblance between the Father's presence, that Christ had, and his presence which they have through Christ. Was the Father with him authoritatively, having his name upon him? Though none were ever clothed with such authority as Christ, yet his people share of his Father's name, in as far as they are helped to walk in the name of the Lord their God, for ever and ever, Micah iv. 5.; and in the name of their God to set up their banner, Psal. xx. 5.-Was the Father with him operatively, doing all the work? So they have the Father with them, when they have it to say, Isa. xxvi. 12. "Thou hast wrought all our works in us and for us ;" and when they employ God in Christ as their doer and worker, saying, as Psal. cix. 21. "Do

thou for me, O God the Lord, for thy name's sake:" and Psal. lvii. 2. "I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me."-Was the Father with him corroboratively, strengthening him in his doing and suffering? Well, they may be said to have the Father thus with them, in and through Christ, when, with Paul, they can say, "I can do all things through Christ strengthening" and, Through God we shall do valiantly," &c. Was the Father with Christ repletively, filling him with all his fulness? Believers have a large share of this presence, when they come to understand that of the apostle, Eph. iii. 19. even by knowing the love of Christ that passeth knowledge; to be filled with all the fulness of God; that is, with all that grace, knowledge, love, holiness, and joy that God allows gradually here, and more perfectly hereafter. And, indeed, we are but at best very small vessels, that can take in but a little of this ocean of divine fulness: some have got such a fill as to cry out, Lord, the clay vessel can hold no more.-But again, Was the Father with Christ approbatively? So his people have his approbation, when they wait on him, and keep his way: they have his favourable presence; and hence it is said, "His countenance doth behold the upright, Psal. xi. 7. -Was the ather with him affectionately? So the Lord is with them that love him; "I love them that love me. The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him, and that hope in his mercy," Psal. cxlvii. 1. And he sometimes, by inward manifestation, makes them know that he loves them, Jer. xxxi. 3. "I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee." Yea, sometimes by his outward dispensations, and certain tokens, makes their enemies know that he loves them, Rev. iii. 9. "Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not, but do lye; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee."-Again, was the Father with Christ victoriously? Even so, in and through him that loved them, they are made victors and conquerors, and more than conquerors. over sin, and Satan, and