his presence with us, may be enough to us. No man is alone, who hath the presence of God with him. In speaking to this subject, the method may be the following.

1. To speak of God the Father's presence with Christ, as it is here expressed, "I am not alone, for the Father is with me."

II. Of God's presence with his people, as it redounds from Christ the head, to them as the members; shewing how they are not alone, but have the Father with them.

III. Point out the special comfort included in the presence of God, as represented or denominated by the first person of the glorious Trinity, "The Father is with me:" how this made for the comfort of Christ in his sufferings, and how it makes for ours. IV. Offer some grounds and reasons of the doctrine, why God was thus present with Christ, and why he is present with his people.

V. Deduce some Inferences for the Application of the whole subject.

1. We are to speak a little of God's presence with Christ, in his mediatorial undertaking and sufferings, as it is here expressed; "I am not alone, because the Father is with me."

In order to the explaining of this, we may take up the import thereof in the following views: 1. We may view it as it is negatively expressed, "I am not alone." 2. As it is positively expressed, "The Father is with me." 3. Relatively, as it is the Father's presence.. 4. Subjectively, as it is Christ he is present with; With

me.

1st, View it as expressed negatively; "I am not alone." Whoever do, or shall desert me, and whoever now be against me, so as I seem to be quite destitute, being really left of men, yet I am not alone; that is, in point of company; I am not alone, having the Father with me. I am at no great loss for want of company in my sufferings and solitude: men have left me alone, yet I am not alone, while I have my best company still with me. Again, I am not alone, in point of number;

there are more with me than are against me: the Father's presence is more than all the multitude of creatures, should they all leave me. Again, in point of friends I am not alone: though earthly friends have left me, my heavenly Father, and best friend is with me. Again, in point of fellowship I am not alone: though fellowship with men be withdrawn, yet fellowship with the Father is not. Again, in point of absence I am not alone; for the Father is present, Psalm xvi. 8. "He is at my right-hand; therefore I shall not be moved."Further, in point of distance I am not alone; for the Father is near, Isa. 1. 8. "He is near that justifieth me."-Likewise in point of confinement I am not alone: though now imprisoned, yet the Father is with me, to take me from prison, and from judgment, Isa. liii. 8.— Nor will he leave my soul in hell, Psalm xvi. 10.-Finally, in point of assistance I am not alone; for, “The Lord God will help me; therefore I shall not be confounded, Isa. 1. 7.-Therefore will I set my face like a flint." In these respects, though others left him alone, yet he was not alone.

Again, upon this same negative expression," I am not alone; that is, I am not left alone in my present business and battles. He was not left to work alone; for, says he, John v, 17. “ My Father worketh hitherto,

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and I, work," And John xvi. 10. his words and works were both the Fathers; "Believest thou that I am in the Father and the Father in me: the words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself, but my Father that dwelleth in me, he doth the work."--He was not left to wrestle and fight alone, when he encountered principalities and powers; "Who is mine adversary? let him. come near unto me: behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me?" Isa. 1. 8, 9.He was not left to suffer reproach alone; the reproaches that were cast upon him lighted upon his Father: therefore he says, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up and the reproaches of them that reproached thee hath fallen upon me,” Psalm lxix. 9.-He was not left to suffer violence and cruelty alone; for, though no cre ature was, with him, the Father was with him, sup

porting him and helping him to bear all indignities cast upon him: "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to him that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting; for the Lord God helped him," Isa. 1. 6, 7. He was not alone in suffering death; for, though the Father did not die with him, when the human nature of Christ gave up the ghost; yet the Father was with him in death, and upheld him in suffering death and wrath both; "Behold my Servant whom I uphold," Isa. xlii. 1. He was not left alone in the grave; even there the Father was with him, setting a watch of another sort than Pilate and the chief priests did; theirs was but a pitiful watch without, but his was a powerful watch within the tomb, defending his sacred body from the least putrefaction; "Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption," Psalm xvi. 10.-Thus he was not alone.

2dly, View the positive expression, "My Father is with me." Why, not only as God was the Father with him essentially; for he could say, in this respect, "I and my Father are one," John x. 30.: but as Mediator, God-man, in his whole mediatorial work of doing and suffering. And he was so in these following respects, which I must but name.

1. The Father was with him authoritatively, Exod. xxii. 21. "My name is in him," says God. He came about his Mediatory work, in the name and authority of his Father, and so was sealed and authorised to be his great Ambassador; "Him hath God the Father sealed," and sent him upon his and our errand: and hence he says, John viii. 29. " He that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone."

2. The Father was with him operatively; he was no idle spectator of his work, but wrought in and by him; John xiv. 10. "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doth the work.-John x. 25. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me." And in the work of witness-bearing, he saith, John viii. 16. “I am not alone; but I and the Father that sent me." And hence, again,

3. The Father was with him corroboratively, strength

ening him. Christ is the man of God's right hand, whom he hath made strong for himself, Psalm lxxx. 17. lxxxix. 21. And it is to Christ primarily that promise is made, Isaiah xli. 10. "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee," &c. It is said of him, Micah v. 4. "He shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord." Again,

4. The Father was with him repletively, filling him with all his fulness; Col. i. 19. "It pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell-Chap. ii. 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." ---O what a well-furnished dwelling-place is Christ! What a well-furnished house is he!The Father hath taken all his plenitude and furniture with him in to Christ. O sirs, here is good lodging for poor souls! The Father and all his fulness is with him. May we this day behold his glory, full of grace and truth! Again,

5. The Father was with him approbatively, approving all that he did, and being well-pleased with him, and in him; "Lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased," Mat. iii. 17. He was able to say, John viii. 29. "I do always the things that please him." He had his Father's approbation in every thing he did. Again,

6. The Father was with him affectionately: he had not only his approbation, but his love and affection. He was the object of his Father's love and delight, even in his doing and dying: "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again, John x. 17. Behold mine Elect," says the Father," in whom my soul delighteth," Isaiah xlii. 1.

7. The Father was with him victoriously, making him a glorious Conqueror, according to the promise, Ps. lxxxix. 24. “In my name shall his horn and power be exalted--He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he hath set judgment in the earth," Isa. lxii. 4. And hence the prince of this world was judged by him; and he spoiled principalities and powers, and triumphed over them in his cross.-In a word,

8. The Father was with him perpetually, and will be with him for ever; in this respect he was never alone, for the Father was always with him: the promise," I will never leave thee," was first to him.

3dly, The next view we may take of Christ's words here concerning the divine presence with him, is relatively; or of God under the relation of a Father being with him: "The Father is with me." And here we might expatiate on the import of the words, under this view, in pointing out what of the Father was with Christ, when he was left alone, and none with him but the Father. It says, in this view, these and the like things following, namely, That not only the Father's countenance was with him, when he wanted the countenance of creatures, and had no man to favour him, the Father's favour was present: "With favour did he compass him about as with a shield;" but also, the Father's Spirit was with him; for he said, "I have put my Spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." He had the Spirit above measure given him. The Father's words were with him, as well as his Spirit; for, as he gave him the tongue of the learned, to speak a word in season to the weary; so he said of him," This is my covenant, My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of shy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever," Isa. lix. 21.-The Father's heart was with him: he is the temple of which God hath said, "Mine heart and mine eyes shall be there continually." His heart-love is with him; and he hath said, "His loving-kindness will he not take away from him." His heart's delight is with him; and therefore he is called his beloved Son, that is in his bosom: his dear Son. Again the Father's hand, as well as his heart was with him; "His hand was upon the man of his right-hand; and he upheld him with the right-hand of his righteousness. The Father's perfections were with him, and all his treasures; for," In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;" yea he is the wisdom of God,