Fellowship with God, Sermon 14
SERMON XIV·
1 Joh. 1.7.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
ARt is the imitation of Nature, and true Religion is a divine Art, that consists in the imitation of God himself, the Author of Nature. Therefore it is a more high and transcendent thing, of a sublimer nature, then all the Arts and Sciences among men; those reach but to some resemblance of the wisdom of God, expressed in his works, but this aspires to an imitation of himself in holinesse, which is the glory of his N…me, and so to a fellowship with himself. Therefore there is nothing hath so high a pattern, or sublime an end, God himself, who is infinitly above all, i… the pattern, & socie…y with God, i… … end o… i…: and so it cannot choice, but where Religion makes an …olid impression on a soul, it … ex…eedingly raise and advance it to the most he…oi…k and noble resolutions that it is capable o…, in re…pect o… which elevation of the …oul afte… God, the highest project…, the greatest aspirings, and the most elevating de…igns of men, a…e nothing but low, base, and wretched, having nothing of true greatnesse of mind in them, but running in an earthly and …did channel, infinitly below the poo…e…t soul, that is lifted up to God.
Since we have then so high a pattern as God, becau…e he is infini…y …emoved from us in his own natu…e, we have him exp…essed to us under the name and notion of light, which makes all things manifest. Not only as dwelling in inacc…ssi…le l…ght, that is, in his own incomprehens…e, ine…able essence▪ even before this light wa… created, for he is in the light, and was in the light, when there was no Sun to give light, because he was in hi…self invironed (so to speak) …i…h the infinit light and splendor of his own understanding, and beauty of his own holinesse, and so dwelling in an all-fulnesse, and self-sufficiency of blessednesse. Not only is he thus in the light, bu… he is a light to poor sinners, the most communicative being, that ceaseth not continually to send …orth streamings of that light and life into dark and dead souls: and therefore he is not only light in himself, but a Sun of Righteousness, m…st beneficial in hi… influences, most impartial and f…ee in his illumination, and so he is often called, my light, and my salvation, our light, a light to me, Psal. 27.1. Micah 7.8. Isai. 42.6▪ 7. Now, it is this emission of light from him, that fi…st drives away that gross darknesse that is over …oul…, for till then, in the darkness all was hid and covered, nothing seen, neither our selves▪ nor God, neither the temper of our hearts, nor the course of our w…es, nor the end they lead to. But it is the breaking in of a beam of that Sun of Righteousness, that maketh any such d…scovery; as mo…es a…e not seen till the Sun shine, though the house be full of them; in da…knesse there is nothing but confusion and disorder▪ and light only makes that disorder visible to the soul, to the affecting of the hea…t. Now when once the soul hath received that light, there is a desire kindled in the heart after more of it, as when the eye hath once perceived the sweetnes… and pleasantnesse of the light, it opens it self, and exposeth it self to a …uller reception of more: and so the soul that is onc… thus happily prevented by the fi…st salutation, and visit of that day-sp…ing from on high, while he was sitting in darknesse, and in the sh…dow of death, Luk. 1.78, 79. afterward, follows after that light, and desires nothing more, then to be imbosomed with it: That tender preventing mercy, so draw… the heart after it, that it can never be at perfect rest, t…ll the night be wholly spent, and all the shadows of it removed, and the Sun clearly up above the Horizon, and that is the day of that clear vision of Gods face. But in the mean time, this is the great ambition and indeavour of such an one, to walk in that light, and this is the very intertainment of that fellowship with God; he is already in the light, that is to say, he is translated from a state of darknesse to light, and indowed with the living and saving knowledge of God in Iesus Christ, this is his state; he is in the l…ght, one inlightned from above, having his eye… opened to discover the mystery of the iniquity of his own heart, and to see far off, to that bottomlesse pit of misery, which his way would lead him to; one who hath by this divine illustration discovered eternal things, and seen things not seen, and withall gotten some knowledge of salvation, by the remission of sins. Now such an one, being thus in the light▪ his duty is, and his infinit dignity besides, to wa…k in that light, that i…, to lead all his life under that eternal light of God, which shines in the Word, and to bring it all forth in his view; to make our whole course a progressive motion towards Heaven; wherein that glorious light shines most gloriously. It is almost all one with that of Pauls, to have our conversation in Heaven; for, to walk in the light, it is a kind of elevation of our actions, a raising them up to Heaven, to that pure light, for after that, and toward that, is the souls design.
Now to exp…esse to you in what it co…ists, I desi…e not to b…nch it forth in many particula…s, … …athe… dist…act the mind, then aff…ct the hea…t; only you may know, it c…nsi… especiall… into the … re…i…ements …f the …oul to G…d, an… the ou…ward …i…ing of that light, in our conve…ation to oth…. These are the chief pa…ts o… it, b…owin…, from hi… light, and then … and im…ting … to other…, by a holy conve…sati…n. T…u…, we must needs conceive that t…e most lively and …mixt par…king of the ligbt of G…d, … the sweetest …o…iety with …, is in the sec…et withd…wings of the soul f…om the world, and reposes up…n G…d, tho…e little intervals, and, as it we…e, … hour… of fellowship with God, …hat are taken f…om the multitude and … of our busin…sse▪ these a…e the …itte… oppo…tunities of the transforming the soul into hi… similitude, and of purifying it as he is pure, of fi…ling it with divine light and love; f…r then the heart lyes, as it we…e perpendicularly under his beams, and is opened be…o…e him, to give admission and ent…y to this saving, t…an…fo…ming light; and it i… the shining of Gods countenance then upon the so…l, that d…aws it most toward… conformity with him, and leaves an impression of light …nd love upon the soul Oh, that you were mo…e acquainted with this, this apric…tion, so to speak, that i…, s…nning your selve…, and warming in t…e Sun, the exposing and opening of your hea…t… f…eq…ently in s…et, before this Sun of Righ…eou…sse. N…w, this, if you were acquaint with it, would make your light so to shine before men, as your He…venly Father may be glor…fied, M… 5.16. a…d that is the walking in th… light of God. This makes a Christian to come fo…th, as Moses from the Mount, with his …ace shining; he co…es out f…m the retired acc…sses to G…d, wi…h a lust…e upon hi… carriage, that may bea… tifie the Gospel▪ and (as one saith w…ll) with the Tab…e… of the Law in both his hand…, w…itten in hi… p…actice, the light of the Law shining in his li…e; and truly this is the Ch…istians … in his low…r …phere, w…e…ein he ca…ies ab…ut that light that is de…ived f…om the hig…er light, in all his con…erse with men, it shine… from him to the glorifying of him that i… the F…ther …f lights, walking …igh…e…usly and sobe…ly, without offen…e, doing goo… to all, …spe…ially the child…en of light, extending …ces of love and benevo…lence to eve…y one, forbea…ing and forgiving offence…, not partaking with other mens sin…, and fin…ly, declaring in wo…d and deed, that we have communion with the fountain of pure light, and one day expect to be translated out of this lower Or…, whe…e we are so far distant from him, and fixed in the highest of all; where we may h…ve the immediat, full, uninterrupted, and clearest aspect of his countenance, which shall then make the desc…iption that is here given of God, communicable to us, that, as he is light, and in him is no darkness, so we being fully and perfectly shined upon by him, may be light likewise, without any mixtu…e o… d…knesse, as here it is not.
Now, my beloved in the Lord, this is that we are called unto, to walk thus in the light, in the light of obedience and sanctification, and th…t is the great thing ye would lea…n to aspi…e unto, rather then to enjoy the light of consolation: Indeed I conceive, that which maketh many of u… walk in darknesse, as i… spoken in Isa. 50.10. that is, without com…ort, peace, and joy, and without clear disce…ning our interest in God, i…, because we walk in another da…knesse, that is, of sin and distance from God; the one da…knesse is introductive of the other, nay, they cannot be long without other, the da…k cloud of bold sinning, and ca…elesse unci…cumspect walking, that cannot but eclip…e the light of consolation, and fill the soul with some ho…rour, anguish, and confusi…n. Therefore, if ye would walk in the light of joy and comfort, O, take heed nothing be interposed between God and your souls: you must likewise walk in the light of his Law, which is, as a lamp to the feet, and this light, as the ray, begets that light of comfort, as the splendor, which is the second light of the Sun: I know i… is a disconsolat and sad condition to walk without the light of the knowledge of our interest in God; but I would earnestly recommend unto you two things to support you, and help you in that; one is, that you do not give over the chief point of this society with God, that is, walking in the light of his Law and Commandments, but that you do th… more se…iously add…esse to the one, that you want the other. C…tainly, it ought to be no hinderance of your obedience, and patient continuing in obedience, that you know not your own interest, and that his countenance shines not so upon you; you know that sweet …esolution, I will wait upon the Lord who hides his face, &c. Isai. 8.17. Mic. 7.7. and his own command, Isai. 50.10. Hos. 12.6. Ye that walk in such a darknesse, neve…thelesse, stay upon God. Truly there could be no g…eater evidence of thy interest, then thi…, to give patient attendance upon him in the wayes of obedience, till he shine forth; this would in due time bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light, if we would not substract and withdraw our selves from under the light, because it is presently over-clouded. Then, moreover you would know, that all this while that your interest in Christ lyes dark, and under cloud, you should then be most in the applic…tion of that blood to your souls, most in trusting and staying upon the Name of God, and his absolute promises. Suppose thou do not as yet know that he is thine, yet dost thou not know that he is made thine by believing in him? and therefore while it is inevident that it is already, thou ought so much the more to labour, that what is not, may be. Now, if thou canst not apply him to thy soul, as thine own possessio…, yet thou mayest, and so much the more oug…test to apply thy soul to him, an… re…ign and offer thy self to him, as willing to be his posse… sion, to be his, and no more thine own: in a word, when thine own expe…imental feeling of the wo…k of Gods Spirit fails within thee, th…n so much the more in…ist, and dwell upon the meditation and belies o… the gene…al p…omi…es, which a…e the p…oper object of faith, and not …: as our own inte…est is …he proper obj…ct o… …, and not of saith Therefo…e the de…ect in the one, need… not re…ound upon the other. To …um up all in one word, i… thou thinkest that thou hast not y…t believed in Christ, and … no inte…est in him, I will not dispute with thee, to pe…swade t…ro …hat thou art mistaken, for all thi… debate would h… in the …, bec…use thou a…t in d…rkness; but one th…g I would s…y unto thee, labour to do that whic… th…u would do, which thou must do, if …uc… a c…e were granted; suppose it were so, that thou had no in…e…est in him, what would thou do then? I am sure th… would say, I would labo… by any … to have him mine; why then, thou knows that cannot be before believing, and …eceiving him … hi… promises, and not at all, but by believing. Therefore, since that this is it you must at length tu…n unto, suppose the case were decided, why do ye not presently …at…er without more wea…ying your selves, in the greatnesse of your way, tu…n in hither, as to a place of refuge, without further disputing in the businesse, …nd so by believing in Christ, and waiting upon him in his ways, you shall put that o…t of q…e…ion, w…ich debating would make an end…e… qu…s…ion. The Lord make you wi…e to know the t…ing… that belongs to your peace.