The Christian's Desire for God's House (2)

Heaven would not be heaven without the presence of God. The presence of God in a dungeon, in a lion's den, makes it a paradise, a place of pleasure; the presence of God makes all conditions comfortable. If there be not the presence of God, the greatest comfort in the world is nothing. What makes the church longed for by holy men? God is present there. Wherever God is present in the communion of saints, they must be esteemed simply because of his presence. What makes hell to be hell? There is no presence of God there; no testimony of his presence in hell; nothing but 'utter darkness' (Matt. 8:12). What makes the life of man comfortable? There is some presence of God in everything. There is a presence of God in meat, in drink, in friends, that a man may say, 'Oh, here is a good God, here is some presence of God.' There is not the vilest reprobate in the world, but he has some testimony of God's presence. He tastes of God in somewhat or other; though he sees not God in it, yet God shows himself to him in some comfort. But when God will remove all his presence from a man, that is hell itself. What is hell but where there is no presence of God? When there is no communion with the chief good, that man is in darkness and horror, which is hell, as we see in the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16). It is the presence of God that makes things comfortable. That is heaven, to enjoy nearer and nearer communion with God.
Therefore let us labour to enjoy the presence of God in his ordinances, that we may have a heaven upon earth, that we may desire still more and more to delight in them, until we come to heaven, where all desires will be accomplished. David knowing that God was present in his temple, he said, 'Oh, that I might dwell in the house of God all the days of my life (Psa. 27:4).

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
A Breathing after God, Works, vol. 2, pp. 228-29
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