Christs Love and Affection Towards Jerusalem, Chapter 27
CHAP. 27.
The cauſe why the things of Chriſt and the Goſpell are hid from mens eyes.
THus farre hath beene ſpoke of the former part of Chriſts ſpeech to Jeruſalem; to wit, his patheticall and paſſionate wiſh or complaint: it remaines now to ſpeake of the latter, namely, his poſitive aſſertion or affirmation in thoſe words, But now are they hid from thine eyes, which I will but briefly, and in a word touch upon, becauſe in ſubſtance they are the ſame with the want of knowledge, handled before. Jeruſalem would not ſee the things that concerned her peace, when in the day of grace they were clearely ſet before her eyes, therefore now are they hid from her eyes. And ſo it is ſtill with the men of the world, becauſe they undervalue, and will not looke after the good things of Chriſt, therefore are they hid from them. Doct. The obſervation that I make from hence, is this, That the things of Chriſt and the Goſpell, are hid from the men of the world: for the opening and enlarging of which point, conſider with mee,
1 How they are hid.
2 By whom they are hid.
3 Why they are hid.
1 The things of Chriſt and the Goſpell are hid from the eyes of worldly men three wayes.
1 By their naturall blindneſſe and ignorance; a1 Cor. 2.14.The naturall mā perceiveth not the things that are of God, neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned; as hee that wants corporall eyes cannot ſee corporall things, becauſe they are ſeene and diſcerned viſibly and bodily; ſo he that wants ſpirituall eyes, hee cannot ſee ſpirituall things, ſuch as are the things of Chriſt and the Goſpell, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned; that is, by a ſpirituall eye, and by a ſpiritual light; for even as the Sunne, it cannot bee ſeene but by his owne light: If a man would ſet up a thouſand Candles in a darke night, they could not ſhew unto him the body of the Sunne; ſo the things of Chriſt and the Goſpell, which are ſpirituall things, they cannot be ſeene but by their owne light; and therefore ſo long as this light is abſent, and wanting, they muſt needs be hid.
2 By a voluntary neglect, when men winke with their eyes, and will not ſee them, but lay them aſide, and put them behind their backes, leſt the ſeeing of them ſhould give a checke to their preſent pleaſures:bPſal. 81.11. My people would not heare my voyce, Iſrael would none of mee; and therefore they are ſaid to reject knowledge, becauſe they refuſe to looke upon the things of Chriſt and the Goſpel, when they are ſufficiently revealed, and diſcovered unto thembHoſ. 4.6.; they turne their eyes and thoughts upon other objects, that they may the more eaſily forget the things that concerne their peace; like a man that beholds his naturall face in a glaſſe, and when he hath conſidered himſelfe, he goeth his way, and immediately forgetteth what manner of one he was cIam. 1.23, 24.. If a man turne his eyes; and if he ſhut his eyes againſt the light, it muſt needs bee hid from him; even ſo, when a man turnes his eyes and thoughts for the things of Chriſt, and the Goſpell, by a voluntary neglect, they muſt need be hid from him.
3 By the juſt judgement of God, who ordereth and diſpoſeth of that which is firſt willingly admitted in the nature of a ſinne, that it ſhall be alſo much to their prejudice, and ſo lie upon them in the nature of a judgement dAug. praefat. in Pſal. 51. Saul enim rex non ad permanendum electus eſt à Domino, ſed ſecundum populi cor durū, & malum, datꝰ ad eorum correptionem, non ad utilitatem, &c. Extorſit pop. à Deo habere regem, & datus eſt ei Saul, tanquam dati eſſent illi in manus ſuas: qui manibus et verbis accerſierunt mortem; in Saule enim figurata eſt ipſa mors.or puniſhment: eIohn 9.39.I am come into this world to judgement, that they which ſee might be made blinde: The ſame thing it may bee both a ſinne, and a puniſhment, yet ſo, as that it be firſt conſidered in the nature of a ſinne voluntarily admitted, and then as a ſinne ſo ordered by God, that it hath the nature of a puniſhment in it. When Pharaoh ſaid to Moſes fExod. 10.28., Get thee from me, looke thou ſee my face no more, &c. it was his ſinne, voluntarily admitted through his owne fault, but ſo ordered by God, that it was a judgement upon him, and one of the greateſt judgements that ever befell him, becauſe he will have Moſes to ſee his face no more, God will ſay Amen to it; hee ſhall have his will, but hee ſhall have it with a vengeance. If Moſes ſee his face no more, he ſhall have no more warning from God, till unavoidable deſtruction takes him, as it findes him, and makes a full end of him: even ſo when men winke with their eyes, and will not ſee the things that concern their peace, it is their ſin: but ſo ordered by God, that it hath, in it the nature of a judgement. If they will needs have them hid, they ſhall be hid; but hid to their everlaſting preiudice.
2. By whom are they hid? why they are hid by more than one, there be three ſeverall parties that have a hand in the buſineſſe; they are hid by Sathan, by themſelves, and by God.
1. They are hid by Sathan, the god of this world; it is he that takes away the ſeed of the Word, which was ſowne in the heart: like the fowles of heaven, that pick up the ſeed that is not covered with earth, and fly away with ithMat. 13.19.. If our Goſpell be hid, it is hid to them that periſh, in whom the god of this world hath blinded their eyes, &c i2 Cor. 4.3.. and this he doth by diverting the minde from theſe things, and turning the thoughts upon other matters, which are as duſt, to blind the eyes of the ſoule, or as thick and foggy miſts which hinder the ſight. If a mans eyes be blinded with duſt, he cannot ſee the things that are before him, but they are hid from him; or if a thick and foggie miſt come between the eye and the object, that interpoſition doth hide the object from it, and hinder the ſight of it; even ſo the god of this world, by interpoſing impertinent thoughts and objects betweene the things of Chriſt, and the eye of the minde, doth thereby hide the things of the Goſpell from it.
kProv 28.13.2. They are hid by themſelves: f he that hideth his ſins ſhall not proſper. A mans ſins are hid from God, and from his owne eyes, by a voluntary act of his owne, when hee doth not confeſſe and acknowledge them: ſo a man hides the bleſſings of God, when hee will not ſee God in them, nor take notice from whom they are ſent. Like the ſwine that gathers the fruit, but never lookes up to the tree from which it falls: and ſo men hide the judgements of God from their own eyes, when they will not take notice whoſe hand and rod, and ſcourge it is, and who hath appointed it. Like the dog that barkes, and bites, and ſnarls at the ſtone, but never lookes at the hand that threw it: even ſo the things of Chriſt and the Goſpel, they are hid from mens eyes, by themſelves, and their owne voluntary act, when they will not ſteepe their thoughts in the meditation of them. So it is ſaid of the Prieſts of Iſrael, that they hid their eyes from the Lords Sabbaths lEzek. 22.16.becauſe they did not thinke upon them, to obſerve them. And ſo it is ſaid of the people of Iſrael, that they had eyes to ſee, and did not ſee; and eares to heare, and did not heare mEzek. 12.2.: to ſhew, that the things of Chriſt were hid From them, not becauſe they wanted eyes, but becauſe they were wanting to themſelves, and would not make uſe of their eyes. It was their owne voluntary act, that hid the things of the Goſpell from them.
3. They are hid by God. nMat. 11.25.I thanke thee O Father, that thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them unto babes. This God doth as a juſt JudgeoAug. epiſt. 105. ad Sixt. Obdurat Deus, non impertiendo malitiā, ſed non impertiendo miſericordiam, quibus autem non impertitur, nec digni ſunt, nec merentu…, at potius ut nō impertiatur, hoc digni ſunt. Vid. Iſid l. 2. ſen. c. 5. Proſp li. ſent. ſent. 47. Aqui. 1. 2. q. 79. art. 3.; it is an act of his juſtice, and therefore preſuppoſeth a voluntary fault of the creature going before, becauſe (as it hath been ſhewed already) this hiding is firſt to be conſidered in the nature of a ſinne voluntarily admitted, before it be conſidered, as a judgement or puniſhment juſtly inflicted. Now God hides the things of the Goſpell two wayes:
1. Negatively, when hee doth not reveale them; when hee withholds from men the grace of illumination, which they refuſe, and are unwilling to have: as Eliſha ſaid of the Shunamite,p2 King. 4.27. Her ſoule is vexed within her, and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me; where God is ſaid to hide that which he doth not reveale, but conceales or keepes ſecret.
2. Poſitively, by giving men up to their owne deſires: that is, as they deſire to have the things of Chriſt and the Goſpell hid from them, ſo God ſets his ſeale unto it, that it ſhall be ſo, but little to their advantage that it is ſo.qRom. 1.28. As they regarded not to know God, ſo he gave them up to a reprobate mind, to doe thoſe things that are not convenient.
3. Why are they hid? what is the reaſon of it?
1. They are hid by the blindneſſe and naturall ignorance of men, becauſe they depend wholly upon divine revelation, and therefore muſt have lyen hid in the cloſet of Gods owne breſt for ever, unleſſe he had been pleaſed to reveale them: as Chriſt ſaid of Peters confeſſion,rMat. 16.17 Fleſh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven; and therefore the things of Chriſt are compared to a hidden treaſure ſMat. 13.44.: and in this reſpect amongſt others, becauſe all the wit of men and Angels could never have found them out, if God had not brought them to light by the Goſpell.
2. They are hid by a voluntary neglect, becauſe men have no deſire to know them. They ſay unto God, depart from us, we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes tJob 21.14.. They are willingly ignorant u2 Pet. 3.5.; they know them not, neither would they know them: they are ignorant of them, and ſo they would be: God is not unwilling to bring them to the knowledge of theſe things, but they are unwilling to have it. Light is come into the world, but men love darkneſſe more than light, becauſe their deeds are evill xIohn 3.19..
3. They are hid by the juſt judgement of God, becauſe men deſerve to have them hid: yPſ. 81.11, 12.My people would not heare my voice, Iſrael would none of me: wherefore I gave them up to the hardneſſe of their hearts. He that willingly admits a knowne thiefe into his houſe, he deſerveth to be robbed: ſo he that winkes with his eyes, and will not ſee the things that concern his peace, when they are ſet before him, he deſerves to have thē hid frō him.
Vſe, to ſee the miſerable eſtate of worldly men.And this may ſerve as a glaſſe, to ſhew and repreſent to the men of this world, the face and image of their owne eſtate and condition; oh it muſt needs be worſe than ill with them, whether they perceive it or no, when thoſe things which are the onelyonly things that can doe them good, are hid from them, and that by their owne conſent, and according to their owne deſirezSalv. de provi. l. 4. Nos nobis accuſan di ſumꝰ: nam cū ea quibꝰ torqueamur admittimꝰ, ipſi tormentorum noſtrorū ſumus authores. Quid ergo de poenarum acerbitate querimur? unuſquiſque noſtrū ſe punit.. It is a miſerable time with the ſick patient, when that Phyſicke, which is the onelyonly Phyſicke that can doe him good, is put out of the way, and hid from his ſight, and that by his owne order and direction; and ſo it is here: ſo doth God deale with the men of the world, becauſe they are unwilling to ſee the things that belong to their peace, therefore God hides them from their eyes: he can ſort out a puniſhment ſutable to their iniquities, and make their ſin legible, in the very letters of that iudgment that lies upon them. If they will needs wink with their eyes, they ſhall have their owne mind: God will not open their eyes by compulſion and conſtraint. If they would have the things of Chriſt and the Goſpell hid from them, they ſhall be hid; but woe be unto them when theſe things are hid from them aHieron. com. in Mat. 27.25. Perſeverat uſque in praeſentē diem haec imprecatio ſuper Iudaeos, & ſanguis Domini non aufertur ab…is. Lucas Frugen ib. Senſerunt tandem ipſi et ſilii eorū, &c. magno ſuo mal…, &c. dum à Romanis ſunt funditus everſi, et extirpati.. If our Goſpell be hid (ſaith the Apoſtle) it is him to them that periſh b2 Cor 4.3.: it is the black character of thoſe that are marked out for deſtruction, and a ſign that they are in a periſhing condition, while the things of Chriſt and the Goſpel are hid from them: for while a man lies under this judgement, it leaves him altogether without excuſe, becauſe it is not without his owne fault, not without his own deſire to have it ſo; and it wholly diſables him from making any uſe of thoſe ordinances of God, that are appointed for his good, they can have no gracious influence into his ſoule, for the healing of it; ſo long as they are hid from his eyes, he can ſee no light of direction in them, receive no benefit from them, find no help or furtherance by them, ſuck no ſweetneſſe or comfort out of them, while they are hid from him; and which addes yet more to the fulneſſe of his miſery, If they be now hid from his eyes in the day of grace, they ſhall never be revealed unto him afterward for his good. If they be ſhewed unto him at the great day, and in the world to come, it ſhall be for the further increaſe of his miſery; onelyonly to let him ſee what happineſſe hee might have had, and is now for ever deprived of: as God hath beene hid from him here in this life, ſo he ſhall be hid from him for ever: he ſhall never come to ſee his face, or behold the light of his countenance, or enjoy his comfortable preſence, but have his everlaſting habitation aſſigned unto him amongſt thoſe that are curſed from the preſence of God for evermore. Oh then take heed whoſoever thou art that heareſt, what it is to have the things of Chriſt and the Goſpell hid from thee: take heed I ſay of ſhutting thine eyes againſt the glorious light of the Goſpel, leſt God ſhut them once for all: for he ſhutteth, and no man openeth cRev. 3.7.. take heed of winking with thine eyes, when the glorious light of the Goſpell ſhines forth unto them, leſt God cloſe them up, and ſet his ſeale upon it, and ſo hide the things of Chriſt and the Goſpell from thee, that none can reveale them unto thee any more; but rather open thine eyes, and ſleepe not in death: yea pray with the Kingly Prophet, that God would open them, that thou mayſt ſee the wonderful things contained in his law: the things of Chriſt and the Goſpell, they are ſuch as would doe even an Angell good to ſee them: yea the bleſſed Angels deſire more and more to pry and looke into them d1 Pet. 1.12.: and Chriſt tells his Diſciples, that the ſight of them hath ſo much in it, as may well ſerve to make a man bleſſed.eLuk. 10.23, 24. Bleſſed are the eyes that ſee the things that ye ſee: for I tell you, that many Prophets and Kings have deſired to ſee thoſe things that ye ſee, and have not ſeene them: ſo then it is not the leaſt part of thy happineſſe here in this life, that thou mayeſt ſee them, and it will be the conſummation of thy happineſſe hereafter in heaven, to enjoy the perfect ſight of them: for what elſe is that beatificall viſion, wherein the height and top of a mans felicity doth conſiſt, but the ſeeing of God, and the ſeeing of Chriſt, and the things of the Goſpell, in their glory and perfection: therefore ſee them here, that thou mayeſt ſee them hereafter. See them now in the day of grace, that thou mayeſt ſee God for ever in the Kingdome of glory.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Maden, Christs Love and Affection Towards Jerusalem (1637)