B01382:134
Communion with God. in two sermons preached at Paul'sCommunion vvith God. in two sermons preach'd at Paul's
Communion with God. in two sermons preached at Paul's: the first, Sept. 3, 1654, the second, March 25, 1655. / By Samuel Annesley L.L.D. minister of the gospel at John Evangel London.Communion vvith God. in two sermons preach'd at Paul's: the first, Sept. 3, 1654, the second, March 25, 1655. / By Samuel Annesley L.L.D. minister of the gospel at John Evangel London.
London: printed by Evan Tyler, 1655
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Suppose a soul, even spiritually overwhelmed, betakes it self to God: The heart is ready to break, till it hath vent before the Lord: if afterward the soul hath no more ease, then by the bare launching of the sore, God pours in no balm, only gives support, nay, suppose God add gall to the wormwood: will you say, this soul, in this case, hath no communion with God? you will betray your ignorance that you know not what communion with God means. In Gods Secret visits of the soul, and the souls restless groping after God, though nothing but darkness be apprehended, yet that soul lives in the light of Gods countenance: The sun shines, though a cloud interposeth; God smiles, though the soul do not perceive it. But that you may have the joys of Gods presence, take a further direction.
Suppose a soul, even spiritually overwhelmed, betakes it selfe to God: The heart is ready to breake, till it hath vent before the Lord: if afterward the soul hath no more ease, then by the bare launching of the sore, God poures in no balme, only gives support, nay, suppose God adde gall to the wormwood: will you say, this soul, in this case, hath no communion with God? you will betray your ignorance that you know not what communion with God means. In Gods Secret visits of the soul, and the souls restles groping after God, though nothing but darknesse be apprehended, yet that soul lives in the light of Gods countenance: The sun shines, though a cloud interposeth; God smiles, though the soul do not perceive it. But that you may have the joyes of Gods presence, take a further direction.
2. Be careful to remove the hinderances of Communion with God. I am ready to believe, that every gracious soul may find out what it is that hinders his Communion with God: And if so, they may then probably procure rational comfort, though not spiritual comfort; they may get into the way of comfort, though they get not the ⟨p. 36⟩use of comfort; they may set themselves against the obstructions of their comfort, and that very attempt puts them into the way of peace.