But more particularly, let us here difcufs these two points. I. How it appears Chrift is thus fpiritually prefent with his churches and ordinances.

II. Why it is neceffary he should be fo.

First, By what evidences doth it manifeftly appear that there is fuch a prefence of Chrift with his churches and ordinances. And this will appear by two undeniable evidences thereof. 1. By their wonderful preservations.

2. From their fupernatural effects.

1. From their wonderful preservations: For it is wholly unaccountable, and unconceivable, how the churches, ministers and ordinances, fhould be fupported and preferved without it, amidst such hofts of potent and enraged enemies. If Christ were not among them, they had certainly been swallowed up long ago. It is he that holds the stars in his right-hand, Rev. ii. 1. His walks among the seven golden candlesticks is their best fecurity. The burning bush, Exod. iii. 3. is a rare emblem to open this mystery; the bush burned with fire, but was not confumed. The busb was a resemblance of the church of God in Egypt, the flames upon it was their terrible perfecution; the wonder, that no afhes appeared as the effects of thofe terrible flames; the reafon whereof was, God was in the bush, Jefus Chrift was in the midft of his people.

By virtue of this prefence we are here this day, in the enjoyment of gospel liberties; no fociety of men in the world have fuch security as the church hath upon this account. The mightiest monarchies have been overturned, no policies nor human power could preferve them; but the church and ordinances are ftill preferved, and fhall ever be, by virtue of that gracious promife, Jer. xxx. 11. "For I am with thee, faith the Lord, "to fave thee: Though I make a full end of all nations whi"ther I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of "thee."

The Babylonians, Perfians, Grecian monarchies, have deAtroyed and ruined one another :

Sic Medus ademit

Affyrio, Syroque tulit moderamina Perfes, &c.

but ftill the church of Chrift lifts up its head, and beholds their ruins.

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2. This prefence of Christ in and with his ordinances is undeniably evinced from their fupernatural effects upon the fouls of men, 2 Cor. x. 4. " The weapons of our warfare are not "carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of "ftrong holds." It is the Spirit of Chrift that gives them their

fuccefs and efficacy; the fword of the gospel hath its point and edge, but it is impoffible the heart of a ftupid hardened finner fhould ever be pricked or wounded by it, if the Spirit of Chrift did not manage it. When finners fall down convinced under the authority of the word, they feel, and readily acknowledge, that God is in it of a truth, 1 Cor. xiv. 25. Ruffinus re

ports, that at the council of Nice, a godly man, of no great learning, was the inftrument of converting a learned philofo. pher, whom the bishops with all their arguments could not perfuade: of which the philofopher himself gave this remarkable account, Whilft you realoned with me, faid he, against words, I opposed words, and what was fpoken I overthrew by the art of speaking; but when instead of words power came out of the mouth of the fpeaker, words could no longer withstand truth, nor man refift the power of God.'

And this, indeed, is the true and just account of all those marvellous and gracious changes made upon the fouls of men by the preaching of the gospel: can the vanishing breath of a dying man, think you, infpire fpiritual and eternal life into the fouls of other men? Can he fearch the confcience, break the heart, and bow the will at this rate? No, no, this is the power and operation of Chrift; and of that presence we muft fay, faith a * reverend author, as Martha did to her Saviour concerning the death of her brother Lazarus, John xi. 21. "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." So fay I, if that prefence and power of Chrift were felt by all, which hath been certainly experienced and felt by many, they had not remained in the ftate of fpiritual death as they do. But though there be thousands under ordinances that never felt this power of Christ upon them, yet blessed be God there are alfo multitudes of witneffes and evidences of this truth, that there is a real, fpiritual energetical prefence of Chrift in his own appointments; which was the first thing to be evinced.

Secondly, The fecond thing requiring explication, is the uses and ends which make fuch a prefence of Chrift neceffary. And they are,

1. To preferve and fupport his minifters and churches, amidst fuch hofts of potent and enraged enemies: this presence of Chrift, is as a wall of fire round about them. It was the divine prefence with Jeremiah that was as a life-guard to him against the rage of the princes and nobles of Ifrael: Jer. xv. 20, 21. "I will make thee to this people a fenced brazen wall,

Mr. Burgefs on I Cor. iii.

"and they fhall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee to fave thee, and to deliver "thee, faith the Lord: and I will deliver thee out of the hand "of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the "terrible."

It was easier for the Roman army to scale the walls, and batter down the towers of Jerufalem, than for all the enemies in Jerufalem to destroy this prophet of God, thus immured by the divine prefence. Athanafius and Luther had the power of the empire ingaged against them, yet the prefence of Chrift was their fecurity. The witneffes could not be flain till they had finished their teftimony, Rev. xi. 7. To this prefence alone the faithful witneffes of Chrift owe their marvellous prefervation at this day; had not Chrift faid, Lo, I am with you, you had not faid at this day, behold our minifters are still with us.

2. The prefence of Chrift is neceffary to affift and enable his minifters in their work, for it is a work quite above their own ftrength; it is well we are workers together with God, elfe we fhould foon faint under our labours. When Mofes objected, I am not eloquent, the Lord told him, I will be with thy mouth, Exod. iv. 1o. When God guides the tongue, how powerful and perfuafive must the language be! when the apoftles, illiterate men, were fent out to convert the world, Chrift promised to give them a mouth and wisdom, Luke xxi, 15. a mouth to speak, and wisdom to guide that mouth; and then their words were demonstrations, all their adversaries could not resist that Spirit and power by which they spake. Empires, and kingdoms full of enemies, received the gofpel; but the reafon of this wonderful fuccefs is given us in Mark xvi. 20." They "went out and preached every where, the Lord working with "them." "Tis fweet and profperous working in fellowship with Chrift: the fpirit of Chrift gives a manifold affistance to his ministers in their work; 'tis he that guides and directs their mind in the choice of thofe fubjects wherein they labour with fuch fuccefs to their hearers. He dictates the matter, influences their affections, guides their lips, follows home their doctrine with fuccefs. And this is a fpecial use and end of Chrift's prefence with his minifters and ordinances.

3. The fpiritual prefence of Chrift is neceffary for the preparation and opening of the peoples heart to receive and embrace the gospel to falvation; not a heart will open to receive Christ till the Spirit of Chrift unlock them. Paul and Timothy were extraordinarily called to preach the gofpel at Macedonia, there Lydia was converted; but how? Not by their skill or eloquence,

but by the Spirit's influence; " The Lord opened the heart of * Lydia,” Acts xvi. 14. The church could not be propagated without converfion; converfion could never be wrought without Chrift's influence and fpiritual prefence. So that this prefence is of abfolute neceffity; the church cannot fubfift, nor the great ends of ordinances be attained without it.

Infer. 1. Is Chrift really prefent in all gofpel administrati. ons, how awfully folemn then is every part of gospel worship? we having to do with Christ himself, and not with men only, in gospel ordinances.' Happy were it, if, under this confideration, all our people did receive the word we preach, as the Theffalonians did, 1 Theff. ii. 13. not as the word of man, but as the word of God; then it would work effectually in us as it did in them. But alas! we have loofe and low apprehenfions of the word; we come to judge the gifts of the speaker, not to have our minds informed, our confciences fearched, our lufts mortified, and our lives regulated. But O that men would realize the prefence of Chrift in ordinances, and seriously confider that word of his, Rev. ii. 23. "All the churches fhall know "that I am he which fearcheth the reins and hearts, and I will * give to every one of you according to your works."

How would it compofe vain and wandering hearts unto holy feriousness? O if men would but confider that they are before the Lord Jefus Chrift, as Cornelius and his family did, Acts x. 33. "We are all here prefent before God, to hear all things

that are commanded thee of God," If they would confider the word, as the executioner of God's eternal decrees, which returns not in vain, but accomplishes that whereunto God fends it, Ifa. lv. 11. and eventually proves the favour of life or death eternal to them that fit under it, 2. Cor. ii. 16. In a word, were it but confidered as the rule by which its hearers fhall be judged in the great day, John xii. 48. then how would men tremble at the word? What mighty effects would it have upon their hearts? How would it run and be glorified? But, alas, as Job fpeaks, Job ix. 11. "He goeth by me, and I fee him not; "he paffeth on alfo; but I perceive him not." Few realize the fpiritual prefence of Chrift in ordinances.

Infer. 2. If Chrift be really prefent with his churches and or. dinances, 'How vain are all attempts of enemies to fubvert and • destroy them?' That promife, Matth. xxviii. ult. fupposes the continuance of a gospel church miniftry to the end of the world, else there would be a promise without a fubject as de Jure, there ought to be a church, fo de Facto, there fhall be a church with ministers, and ordinances, let Satan and antichrist

do their worst. I do not fay this promise fecurès this or that particular church or nation, for the presence of Chrift is move able from one place to another, but still the church is safe. And there are three things that fecure it against all bazards,

1. The invaluable treafures God hath lodged in the church, viz. his Truths, his Worfbip, and his Elect; fuch a precious cargo fecures the veffel that carries it, whatever storms or tempests may befal it.

2. The covenant and promise of God with the church, is its abundant fecurity, Matth. xvi. 18. "Upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell fhall not prevail against it." The faithfulness of God is pawned for his peoples fecurity. If the church fail, God's faithfulness muft fail with it.

3. But above all, the prefence of Chrift, in the midst of it, puts it out of all danger of mifcarrying. In that promife, Lo, I am with you alway, are found all munitions and fortifications whatsoever here we have his eye of providence, his hand of power, and whatsoever elfe is needful to fupport and secure it. God accounts his presence our safety, Isaiah xli. 10. The enemies of God and his people account it to too, Exod. xiv. 25: and fhall it not be fo in our account? Provoke not the Lord Jefus to withdraw his prefence, and fear not the confultations and oppofitions of hell or earth.

Infer. 3. From this spiritual presence of Christ all his faithful minifters fhould draw encouragement, umidft the manifold difficulties and difcouragements they daily encounter in this work and Jervice. Chrift is with them, they work in fellowship with him, let them not be dismayed.

The difficulties and difcouragements the minifters of Chrift meet with are great and many; and the more faithful and fuccefsful any of them are in their mafter's work, the fiercer oppofition they must expect: besides, all the difcouragements rifing out of their own hearts, which are not a few, they must

encounter.

First, The oppofition of enemies from abroad. Secondly, The obstinacy and ftubbornnels of the hearts they work upon. Satan is a jealous prince, and will raise all manner of outcries and opposition against those heavenly Heralds, that come to proclaim a new prince in his dominions, and withdraw his miferable fubjects from their curfed allegiance to him. What is it to preach the gospel (faid Luther) but to drive the fury of the world upon the head of that preacher? But this would be easily supportable, did our work but profper, upon the hearts of our hearers. But this, alas! is the killing confideration of