The Christians converse with God, or, The insufficiency and uncertainty of human friendship and…

Quest. But how is he with us? Answ. 1. He is with us not only in his Essential presence, as he is every where, but as by his Gracious Fatherly presence: We are in his Family, attending on him: Even as the Eye of a Servant is to the hand of his Master: We are always with him, and ⟨p. 83⟩(as he phraseth it himself in the Parable) Luke 15. all that he hath in ours, that is, all that is fit to be communicated to us, and all the Provisions of his bounty for his Children. When we awake, we should be still with him: When we go abroad we should be always as before him: Our life and works should be a Walking with God.

2. He is always with us efficiently to do us good; Though we have none else that careth for us, yet will he never cast us out of his care, but biddeth us cast our care on him, as promising that he will care for us. Though we have none else to provide for us, he is always with us, and our Father knoweth what we want, and will make the best provision for us, Mat. 6.32, 33. Though we have none else to defend us against the power of our Enemies, he is always with us to be our sure defence: He is the Rock to which we fly, and upon which we are surely built. He gathereth us to himself as the Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings, Mat. 2.37, 3. And sure while Love is thus protecting us, we may well say that the Father himself is with us. Though in all our wants we have no other to supply us, yet he is still with us to perform his promise, that no ⟨p. 84⟩good thing shall be wanting to them that fear him. Though we may have none else to strengthen and help us, and support us in our weakness, yet he is always with us, whose Grace is sufficient for us, to manifest his strength in weakness. Though we have no other to teach us, and to resolve our doubts, yet he is with us that is our chiefest Master, and hath taken us to be his Disciples, and will be our Light and Guide, and will lead us into the Truth. Though we have none else to be our Comforters, in our agony, darkness or distress; but all forsake us, or are taken from us, and we are exposed as Hagar with Ishmael in a Wilderness; yet still the Father of all consolations is with us; his Spirit who is the Comforter is in us: And he that so often speaketh the words of Comfort to us in his Gospel, and saith, [Be of good cheer; let not your hearts be troubled, neither be afraid, &c.] will speak them (in the season and measure which is fittest for them) unto our hearts. Though all Friends turn Enemies, and would destroy us, or turn false Accusers, as Job's Friends, in their ignorance or passion; though all of them should add affliction to our affliction, yet is our Redeemer and