<1tlofet::19~a l!tr; away, my Father comes to vifit me with_~oft famili~r ~ndeafings, Oh bleffed excha~ge! Thus it isoftenwith the Saints: when men leavet._hem, or .they ·withdraw from men, they havemany ti~es moft of. God: and, Is it not infinitely better, ' tO have the prefenceof God, , than the cnmpany of men ? ' ~ris worth ~oting what God faith of Abraham,J{a. 5I. 2. I calledhim ;r[one tJtnd bleffed him. Mark it, when God had inticed .Abraham · from all his friends,ahd got him alone, t~en he bleffeth him, and yo~ k!lQWwhat the bleffing of Ab~htfm was, ~yen a Covenant-bleffing; fuc~ God difiributes to his Saints when he _bath withdrawn them from -Gom· pa~y into a corner: This is that which Mihi oppi~um t4rce- made an Andent pr.ofefs, that . a d~r eft,fo!ltudfJ _pa~a~ Town· was his Prifon, a folitary difus. H1eronym. l ; · h. p d" r. c· ·· . - , : p ace ~s . ara t1e : tttes or n~merous focieties draw a veil betwixr God and the foul, I. which folitarinefs tvithdr~\vs ; and fo many times pe.. \! comes.moft !weet :we often loie God in a croud ofbu~ finefs or. company., but find him·when alone: -Hencea corr1er of our ho~ fe m~y be a little corner of Heaven, ~nd inour clofets w.e may find the1\veeteft cordialsand contentment· : ·you know, Friends do mo{t'familiarly in joy' ~ne anot~er \Vhen others are not prefent. Jona· than , fent away the l3:d wheh he 1 Stt.m. ~o. 4o, 41 • -would be familiar , with his friend I,Javid: And then chey kiifed one another, and wept onewith · another~ until Davidexceeded : Even fo., hus· band and wife :donehave the fweetefi: embraces: There jyes are'firaint{asitwere)uponGodby company,w.hich ~i takenoffin a fort by folitarinefs .'Oh when God finds a. foul alpneby it ielf, having fet it felf purpofely to meet him, (hen hereveal.~ his love, unvails his f-ace, unlocks his bleffed cheft, dHl:ribute~ doles of love · and grace, kilfes it with the kiffes of his mouth, and fends it not · ~way empty, but full of grace and peace. ·Taus that ·•' \ . . l . ' . ' ' w ~~td ' /1 ' ~ #
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=